Sony has refreshed one of its most popular wireless headphones with the new WH-1000XM4C, keeping the familiar XM4 design while adding updated sound tuning, a 10-band equaliser and a new Lavender colour option. UK pricing is set at approximately £219, with availability beginning in September 2026.
The WH-1000XM4C is based directly on Sony’s well-known WH-1000XM4 rather than replacing the newer flagship WH-1000XM6. Instead, Sony is bringing the older formula back into its current range at a more accessible price, while retaining the foldable over-ear design and 1000X Series noise cancelling that made the original XM4 such a popular choice.
What is new on the Sony WH-1000XM4C?
According to Sony’s official announcement, the WH-1000XM4C keeps the established XM4 platform but introduces updated sound tuning intended to better suit current listening preferences. Users also get a 10-band equaliser for more detailed personalisation.
The headphones will be available in Black, Platinum Silver and Lavender. Sony continues to position the design around travel and everyday use, with a lightweight, foldable construction and an included carry case.
Sony’s WH-1000XM4C product page lists a weight of 253g and battery life of up to 27 hours. Multipoint connectivity is also supported, allowing the headphones to stay paired with two devices and switch between them when needed.
The XM4 design remains the main attraction
The most interesting part of this release is what Sony has chosen not to change. The WH-1000XM4C deliberately retains the established shape of the WH-1000XM4, including its foldable design, rather than moving to the newer approach used by later generations.
That makes the XM4C less of a conventional successor and more of a refreshed version of a proven product. For buyers who liked the portability and design of the original XM4, that may be exactly the point.
Sony describes the 1000X noise cancelling system as being designed to reduce everyday distractions such as traffic, office noise and public transport. The company is also pitching the model at commuters, travellers, remote workers, students and listeners who want premium noise cancelling without necessarily moving to Sony’s newest flagship.
£219 puts the XM4C in an interesting position
The approximate £219 UK price gives the WH-1000XM4C a clear role in Sony’s headphone line-up. It sits below the company’s current flagship tier while still carrying the 1000X branding and the key characteristics associated with the XM4.
For consumers, the appeal is straightforward: the XM4C provides an officially refreshed version of the familiar XM4 formula, with current availability, updated tuning and new colour choices.
The announcement also arrives during a busy period for Sony’s wider consumer-electronics range. Tech Torque Media recently covered the Sony BRAVIA 6 OLED, another product aimed at buyers looking below the company’s most expensive flagship hardware.
Sony also refreshes its cheaper wireless headphones
The WH-1000XM4C was not Sony’s only headphone announcement. The company has also introduced the WH-CH730N and WH-CH530.
- WH-CH730N: approximately £100, with active noise cancelling, a foldable design, multipoint connectivity and up to 50 hours of battery life with noise cancelling enabled.
- WH-CH530: approximately £50, with an on-ear design, up to 55 hours of playback and six colour options.
Both models are due to arrive from September 2026 alongside the WH-1000XM4C. Sony has also announced limited-edition Hello Kitty bundles for selected headphone models, although European availability details are still to be confirmed.
Tech Torque Verdict
The WH-1000XM4C is an unusual release, but it makes sense. Sony is not positioning this as an entirely new generation; it is taking a design that remains popular, refreshing the sound and colour options, and giving it a defined place in the 2026 range.
At around £219, the biggest question will be how closely real-world performance matches the qualities that made the original XM4 so well regarded — and how the new tuning compares with both the established XM4 and newer premium rivals. On paper, though, bringing back the foldable XM4 formula could prove more useful to many buyers than simply replacing it for the sake of change.
