A fresh leak suggests Sony’s next flagship earbuds, the WF-1000XM6, could debut with a third color at launch, signaling a subtle but notable shift in the company’s playbook for its premium lineup.
WinFuture journalist Roland Quandt, posting on Bluesky, claims Sony has prepared a new shade called Sandpink to sit alongside the expected Black and Silver options. If accurate, it would mark the first time Sony’s top-tier true wireless model arrives with three colors on day one, rather than adding a lifestyle hue months later.
Leak points to new Sandpink color arriving at launch
The Sandpink moniker suggests a soft, neutral-leaning finish that lands somewhere between beige and rose, a deliberate pivot toward fashion-forward buyers without straying too far from Sony’s understated aesthetic. It would echo the strategy Sony used post-launch with the WF-1000XM5, which gained a Smoky Pink option after initially shipping only in Black and Silver.
While it’s unclear how Sandpink will differ tonally from Smoky Pink, the decision to introduce it at launch hints at stronger alignment between product planning and lifestyle positioning. Sony has historically treated color refreshes as mid-cycle boosters; bringing a new hue in at the start indicates the brand wants that halo from day one.
A break from Sony’s two-color playbook for launches
The WF-1000XM4 and WF-1000XM5 both followed a conservative two-color launch formula. That approach emphasized performance over personality, a stance that resonated with audiophiles but left lifestyle-minded buyers waiting for something less monochrome. Launching with a third color would be a meaningful change in how Sony courts that broader audience.
This tweak also makes retail sense. More color diversity at the shelf can lift visibility and reduce the “sea of black and white” effect in premium audio aisles, which are dominated by minimalist designs. It’s a small lever that can have an outsized impact on impulse interest and giftability.
How it stacks up against rival earbuds and brands
Color remains a differentiator in the premium earbud race. Apple’s AirPods Pro still come in a single white finish, leaning on brand recognition rather than palette variety. Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds introduced options like Moonstone Blue and White Smoke, while Samsung’s Galaxy Buds2 Pro arrived in Graphite, White, and Bora Purple. Sennheiser and Google have also embraced richer hues for Momentum True Wireless and Pixel Buds Pro lines.
By offering Sandpink from the start, Sony signals it wants to match that lifestyle energy without compromising the WF pedigree that anchors its flagship status. It’s a small but strategic step that can broaden appeal without touching the engineering core.
What else to expect from Sony’s WF-1000XM6 earbuds
Beyond color, the WF-1000XM6 is expected to refine the XM5 formula rather than reinvent it. Sony’s recent focus has been on stronger active noise canceling, more reliable voice pickup, and lower-latency wireless with Bluetooth LE Audio support. Given the XM5 already delivered features like multipoint connectivity, LDAC, Speak-to-Chat, and solid battery life, the XM6 will likely concentrate on incremental improvements in signal processing and comfort.
Pricing chatter places the new model at $329.99 in the US, lining it up squarely against the top tier from Bose, Apple, and Sennheiser. If the leak holds, the headline change won’t just be the spec sheet—it will be the palette.
Bottom line on Sony’s WF-1000XM6 color leak
A launch-day Sandpink option for the WF-1000XM6 would break Sony’s recent tradition and give its premium earbuds a more lifestyle-forward identity out of the gate. For shoppers, it’s a welcome bit of personality; for Sony, it’s a subtle but savvy move in a category where design and differentiation increasingly matter as much as decibels.
