Sony unveils WF-1000XM3 in India, available from August 06

Sony WF-1000XM3 is bringing up wireless earphones in India in the first week of August, according to industry sources. The premium true wireless headset, which was launched globally in 2019, is similar to the Apple AirPods Pro.

Priced at under Rs. 20,000 in India, it will go up against recent premium launches such as the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 and Sony's own WF-SP800N earphones.

The Sony WF-1000XM3 features the proprietary QN1e noise cancelling processor for effective active noise cancellation. The earphones have 6mm dynamic drivers, a frequency response range of 20-20,000Hz, Bluetooth 5.0, and support for the SBC and AAC Bluetooth codecs.

The lack of support for superior Bluetooth codecs such as aptX and LDAC may be of concern to some, especially considering the recently launched Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 features support for the aptX codec. However, support for the AAC Bluetooth codec means that the Sony WF-1000XM3 is expected to work effectively enough with Apple smartphones and most Android devices.

The Sony WF-1000XM3 promises up to six hours of music playback with active noise cancelling turned on, or up to eight hours with ANC switched off. The case provides an additional three full charges, for a total promised battery life of up to 32 hours per charge cycle.

Charging the case is through a USB Type-C port, and the case is also NFC-enabled for quick pairing. As with most of Sony's headphones and earphones, the WF-1000XM3 true wireless earphones can be customised and controlled through the Sony Headphones Connect app, available for iOS and Android.

Available in India:

The Sony WF-1000XM3 has been available through unofficial resellers on e-commerce portals over the past few months, the company is now officially launching the product in India, with industry sources stating that the price will be under Rs. 20,000. The earphones will go on sale in the first week of August, and are expected to be available through the company's usual online and offline retail channels, which includes Sony stores and Amazon.

The company recently launched its first true wireless earphones in India, the WF-SP800N and WF-XB700, priced at Rs. 18,990 and Rs. 9,990 respectively.

Although impressive, the Sony WF-SP800N isn't quite a flagship headset, and is designed to take on competition such as the Apple AirPods, Jabra Elite 75t, and Samsung Galaxy Buds+. With the Sony WF-1000XM3, Sony is finally launching a flagship true wireless headset in India, which will give it a proper foothold in the premium true wireless segment.