Sony is indeed counting a new product to its lineup of earbuds. The company informed the $199.99 LinkBuds, while they share branding with the open-design LinkBuds released before this year, the “S” model has a more traditional form factor and in-ear fit.
Available in white, black, or beige (exclusively at Best Buy), the LinkBuds S has a compact design and weighs just 4.8 grams per bud.
Despite their small reality on the scale, Sony’s latest earbuds don’t go light on features: active noise cancellation, an ambient sound/transparency way, and support for its LDAC Bluetooth codec. Like the standard LinkBuds, Sony positions these as earbuds you can wear all day and “link” your exterior and digital lives with intelligent software features.
The LinkBuds S can automatically begin playing music immediately after placing them in, picking them up from a preferred Spotify playlist, or playing relaxing soundscape audio tracks after you’ve just finished a work call.
They also include the standard set of Sony features, like adaptive sound control, authorizing you to customize noise cancellation grades and ambient sound depending on your site or current activity.
Battery life is ranked at six hours with ANC and 20 hours while you factor in recharges from the case. The LinkBuds S are IPX4 water resistant as well. Unfortunately, Sony omitted wireless charging from these earbuds, and a rough omission gave their premium price.
Sony LinkBuds true wireless stereo (TWS) earbuds debuted globally on Tuesday. The new TWS earphones feature an innovative Open Ring Design that easily allows users to hear sounds from their surroundings when they want. Sony LinkBuds TWS earbuds also get a Wide Area Tap feature that lets users control playback by tapping in front of their ears.
Furthermore, the TWS earphones automatically pause music playback — using the Speak-to-Chat feature — when the user starts speaking to someone. Sony LinkBuds TWS earbuds are IPX4 rated for sweat and splash resistance.