Opinion: Sony WF-1000XM4 battery issue could affect WF-1000XM5 sales if not addressed

Here’s the crux of the article in video form:

Sony’s line of premium earbuds got updated with the Sony WF-1000XM5 buds a couple of months ago. The buds have had positive reviews for the most part, and there should probably be more now that they’ve just arrived in India. They are taking over from the notorious WF-1000XM4 known for their uneven battery drain and overheating issues.

Sony went with a refined design that resulted in a lightweight package, but it’s never easy to please everyone with such changes. The excellent ANC function also got many people talking, but critics feel its a downgrade compared to the XM4s. The WF-1000XM5 also promise high-quality Bluetooth audio streaming thanks to LDAC support, but they are not as good when it comes to phone calls, something even RTINGS confirmed in their 8.5-rated review.

No doubt Sony knows their trade when it comes to premium earbuds. The WF series is proof enough, but this doesn’t make them masters of all. In fact, Sony might be sitting comfortably in a jar of boiling water thinking all is warm. But if not careful, the WF-1000XM5 may struggle to attract decent sales. Not because of their significantly steeper launch price, but because of a persistent and very annoying uneven battery drain issue that has been plaguing the Sony WF-1000XM4 and has somehow crept past Sony’s dev teams and into some the WF-1000XM5 units.

Sony WF-1000XM4 & the uneven battery drain glitch

Sony released the WF-1000XM4 in 2021. And ever since, there have been non-stop reports of uneven battery drain issues on social media and Sony forums. First, it was blamed on a firmware update. But subsequent updates have done little to fix the issue. Heck, multiple updates later, the issue still persists, with some now edging towards hardware as a potential cause.

As I pen this, no one knows what exactly is behind the uneven battery drain issue in the XM4s. It remains anyone’s guess. And you too can have your luck. But regardless of how hard we try, only Sony has the answers we seek. The buck stops with them. But unfortunately, the Japanese company has chosen silence, leaving those affected with wild guesses of what could be happening behind the scenes.

Given how respectable Sony’s name is in the premium wireless headphones and earbuds market, the least I expect is some form of communication regarding this matter. But years later, Sony hasn’t come out publicly to address the uneven battery drain issue affecting not just the WF series, but also the LinkBuds S.

As noted, Sony has been selling the XM5s in various markets for the past couple of months. The buds have just arrived in India, so we expect more people to jump onto the ship. However, the persistent battery drain issue on the XM4s isn’t doing any favors to the situation.

In fact, right before the new buds went on sale, there were growing concerns already doing rounds regarding the battery drain problem. And whichever way Sony looks at it, these concerns were and still are justified. After all, spending hundreds of dollars on wireless earbuds should reflect in the overall quality of the product, something that some people feel is clearly lacking owing to the XM4s and XM5s battery issues.

Anyone else never buying a Sony Headphone again after the WF-1000XM4 shitshow? 250 dollars (2,500 in my currency after taxes) and one year later I can barely use the product because they destroyed the batteries. This is absolutely ridiculous. I should have trusted my instincts and gone with the Sennheiser or Bose. Now it’s too late.
Source

It’s even more damning that Sony hasn’t responded to a big publication as The Verge over this issue. In his review of the Sony WF-1000XM5, The Verge’s Chris Welch asked Sony for an official statement on the uneven battery drain issue affecting the XM4s, but up to now, there’s still no update from the company.

I’ve asked the company for a thorough statement on what it has learned regarding the M4 battery drain problems and whether everything’s been squared away for the M5s. As of publication time, there has been no response.

There are claims that Sony is replacing faulty XM4s for free, but these cases are quite few. What Sony needs is clear communication, preferably a press release, letting everyone know that they are aware of the battery issues and that those affected can get a free replacement as long as the team can confirm this. Heck, perhaps even offering free XM5s as a replacement for faulty XM4s would be a more welcome idea.

Looking at various socials, there’s no doubt people have interest in the earbuds. But if Sony doesn’t tread carefully, failure to publicly address this matter could be detrimental to the overall sales of the XM5 buds. This is especially true given their steeper price tag compared to Apple’s 2nd generation AirPods Pro that cost $249.

It will be interesting to see how Sony’s WF-1000XM5 market reception pans out with time, but what is already clear is that some factions are dissatisfied with the way the uneven battery drain issue has been handled. Hopefully, Sony picks up a few lessons from this for a better future.

Your views are highly welcome, so be sure to join us in the conversation via the comments section and poll below.

 Loading ...

Featured image: Sony

PiunikaWeb started as purely an investigative tech journalism website with main focus on ‘breaking’ or ‘exclusive’ news. In no time, our stories got picked up by the likes of Forbes, Foxnews, Gizmodo, TechCrunch, Engadget, The Verge, Macrumors, and many others. Want to know more about us? Head here.