Sony’s upcoming WH-1000XM4 headphones may support DSEE Extreme, enable Ambient Sound when talking, and connect to multiple devices

In the vast sea of wireless Bluetooth headphones with active noise cancellation, there’s one product that has stood among the pack: the Sony WH-1000XM3. People really love these headphones (multiple XDA staffers have them), which means people are really interested in seeing how Sony will follow up on them. Information has started to pop up about the Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones, and today, an APK teardown is revealing even more features.

First, back in March, XDA’s Mishaal Rahman shared some live photos of the Sony WH-1000XM4. The design of the WH-1000XM4 headphones isn’t that exciting as it’s essentially identical to the Sony WH-1000XM3. The headphones were certified by Brazil’s Anatel, the country’s equivalent to the U.S. FCC. Mishaal also shared two pages of the device’s manual.

Photos and the manual of the Sony WH-1000XM4, the successor to Sony’s excellent XM3 Bluetooth wireless headphones, just went up on Brazil’s Anatel (equivalent to the FCC).

h/t @evefavretto pic.twitter.com/sjXb4XaCN9

— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) March 6, 2020

Fast forward to today and we’ve got even more goodies about the Sony WH-1000XM4 to share. Twitter user @justplayinghard posted some of his findings from a teardown of the Sony Headphones Connect APK. We also did our own teardown to corroborate these details. First up, there will be three colors: Black, Silver, and White. The Black and Silver colors can be seen below, but we did not include the render of the White model since the image in the APK was a placeholder one.

DSEE Extreme

Next up is DSEE Extreme. Based on the strings, it sounds like DSEE Extreme is DSEE HX with some unspecified AI enhancements. DSEE HX is an existing feature of Sony headphones (including the WH-1000XM3) that upscales sound sources to higher quality. Sony filed a trademark for DSEE Extreme last month and launched “DSEE Ultimate” with the Xperia 1 II. It’s likely that these two terms refer to the same technology, but we’ll have to wait and see.

<string name="DSEEHX_AI_Param_Auto">Auto</string>
<string name="DSEEHX_AI_Param_Off">Off</string>
<string name="DSEEHX_AI_Title">DSEE Extreme</string>
<string name="DSEE_HX_AI_ON">DSEE Extreme On</string>

Multi Point Connections

The next feature is something that people will really love. The Sony WH-1000XM4 may be able to connect to multiple devices at once to quickly switch between them, though that appears to be limited to two devices maximum. The Sony WH-1000XM3 can store multiple Bluetooth pairings, but you have to disconnect from one to connect to another. That would mean that the WH-1000XM4 headphones may be able to swap between paired devices much more quickly than the WH-1000XM3. Based on the strings, it sounds like all you have to do to swap audio output from one device to another is to simply play media from the currently inactive, but paired and connected, device. The one downside of this feature is that the high-quality LDAC Bluetooth audio codec can’t be used when multi-point is enabled.

Multi Point Strings

<string name="Msg_MultiPoint_CancelPairingMode">Cancels connection to the new device.</string>
<string name="Msg_MultiPoint_CannotEnterPairingMode_History_Description">To connect to the selected device, try again after disconnecting one of the connected devices.</string>
<string name="Msg_MultiPoint_CannotEnterPairngMode_Description">To connect a new device, try again after disconnecting one of the connected devices.</string>
<string name="Msg_MultiPoint_CannotEnterPairngMode_Title">Disconnection of the currently connected device required</string>
<string name="Msg_MultiPoint_ConfirmToDisconnect">Disconnect %s?</string>
<string name="Msg_MultiPoint_ConfirmToDisconnectDescription">"Disconnect %s? If disconnected, connection with this app will be disconnected."</string>
<string name="Msg_MultiPoint_Confirm_Reconnection_Title">Reconnection is necessary</string>
<string name="Msg_MultiPoint_Confirm_Reconnection_TurnOff">The currently playing music will stop since reconnection to the headphones is necessary. Reconnect to headphones?</string>
<string name="Msg_MultiPoint_Confirm_Reconnection_TurnOn">The currently playing music will stop since reconnection to the headphones is necessary. LDAC cannot be used when this setting is enabled. Reconnect to headphones?</string>
<string name="Msg_MultiPoint_DeviceRemoveConfirmation">"Cancel registration of %1$s? To connect to %1$s again after canceling the registration, cancel the registration of %2$s from %1$s, and perform device registration again."</string>
<string name="Msg_MultiPoint_Disconnect_Device_FWUpdate">To update the software, %s connected to the headphones must be disconnected. Disconnect and start update?</string>
<string name="Msg_MultiPoint_Disconnect_Device_Update_Title">Required to disconnect the connected %s</string>
<string name="Msg_MultiPoint_Disconnect_Device_VoiceGuidance">To change the language, %s connected to the headphones must be disconnected. Disconnect and change the language?</string>
<string name="Msg_MultiPoint_FailedToConnect">Connection with %s failed.</string>
<string name="Msg_MultiPoint_FailedToDisconnect">Disconnection with %s failed.</string>
<string name="Msg_MultiPoint_FailedToPair">Connection with a new device failed.</string>
<string name="Msg_MultiPoint_FailedToRemove">Canceling of %s registration failed.</string>
<string name="Msg_MultiPoint_Info_Detail">By enabling this setting, the headphone will be able to connect to two devices simultaneously. Connected devices can be checked from [%s]. LDAC cannot be used when this setting is enabled.</string>
<string name="Msg_MultiPoint_Interrupt_FWUpdate_AddDevice">To connect new devices, the software update must be aborted. Software update can be resumed even if it is aborted. Connect?</string>
<string name="Msg_MultiPoint_Interrupt_FWUpdate_AddDevice_Title">Required to abort software update</string>
<string name="Msg_MultiPoint_Interrupt_FWUpdate_DeviceHistory">To connect with %s, the software update must be aborted. Software update can be resumed even if it is aborted. Connect?</string>
<string name="Msg_MultiPoint_SucceedToPairing">Connection to %s complete.</string>

<string name="MultiPoint_Talkback_Device_Disconnected">No device is connected.</string>
<string name="MultiPoint_Talkback_Playing_Right">Audio is played back.</string>
<string name="MultiPoint_Talkback_Status_Connect">Connected.</string>
<string name="MultiPoint_Talkback_Status_Connecting">Connecting...</string>
<string name="MultiPoint_Talkback_Status_Quitting">Disconnecting...</string>
<string name="MultiPoint_Title">Connect to 2 devices simultaneously</string>
<string name="MultiPoint_TitleNum_1">1.</string>
<string name="MultiPoint_TitleNum_2">2.</string>

<string name="MultiPoint_AddNewDevice_Description">Open Bluetooth settings with the device you want to connect and select %s.</string>
<string name="MultiPoint_DeviceNotConnect">Not connected.</string>
<string name="MultiPoint_DeviceStatus_Title">Device Currently Being Connected</string>
<string name="MultiPoint_Device_Add">Connect to New Device</string>
<string name="MultiPoint_Header_History">Paired</string>
<string name="MultiPoint_Header_Pairing">Connecting...</string>
<string name="MultiPoint_Menu_Delete">Cancel Registration</string>
<string name="MultiPoint_Menu_Disconnect">Disconnect</string>
<string name="MultiPoint_Setting_Description">"This headphone can be simultaneously connected to %d devices. To switch between music players, perform the play operation from the other device."</string>
<string name="MultiPoint_Setting_Title">Manage Connected Device</string>
<string name="MultiPoint_Status_Connecting">Connecting...</string>
<string name="MultiPoint_Status_Disconnecting">Disconnecting...</string>
<string name="MultiPoint_Talkback_Add_Device">Connects to a new device.</string>

Smart Talking/Speak-to-Chat

The last feature might be the most interesting and useful. “Smart Talking” may allow the Sony WH-1000XM4 to automatically enable ambient sound when voice is detected. So if you are trying to talk to someone, the headphones will automatically allow ambient noise to come through so you can communicate. After a user-defined time (Fast, Mid, Slow, or None), noise cancellation will return. Users will also be able to adjust the voice detection sensitivity from Auto (based on ambient sound), High, or Low in case users find that it activates too often (such as when the person speaking is close by) or too little (such as when you’re in a vehicle). You can toggle this setting either from within the app or from (likely) the NC/Ambient button on the headphones.

Smart Talking Strings

<string name="SmartTalkingMode_Setting_ModeOutTime_Detail">"If the headphones do not detect your voice for the specified amount of time, Speak-to-Chat mode closes and returns to the normal state. Also, the mode can be closed at any time by operating the headphones."</string>
<string name="SmartTalkingMode_Setting_ModeOutTime_Option1">Fast</string>
<string name="SmartTalkingMode_Setting_ModeOutTime_Option2">Standard</string>
<string name="SmartTalkingMode_Setting_ModeOutTime_Option3">Slow</string>
<string name="SmartTalkingMode_Setting_ModeOutTime_Option4">Does not close automatically</string>
<string name="SmartTalkingMode_Setting_ModeOutTime_Option4_short">Do not</string>
<string name="SmartTalkingMode_Setting_ModeOutTime_Title">Time until the mode closes</string>
<string name="SmartTalkingMode_Setting_ModeOutTime_minute">Approx. 1 m</string>
<string name="SmartTalkingMode_Setting_ModeOutTime_second">Approx. 1 s</string>
<string name="SmartTalkingMode_Setting_ModeOutTime_seconds">Approx %d s</string>
<string name="SmartTalkingMode_Setting_ModesOutTime_minute">Aprox %d m</string>
<string name="SmartTalkingMode_Setting_Sensitivity_Auto">Automatic</string>
<string name="SmartTalkingMode_Setting_Sensitivity_Auto_Detail">Automatically adjusts the sensitivity based on the ambient sound.</string>
<string name="SmartTalkingMode_Setting_Sensitivity_Auto_iOS">Automatic:</string>
<string name="SmartTalkingMode_Setting_Sensitivity_High">H Sensitivity</string>
<string name="SmartTalkingMode_Setting_Sensitivity_High_Detail">Select this setting when voice detection sensitivity is too low. Effective when the ambient sound is loud such as while you are in a vehicle.</string>
<string name="SmartTalkingMode_Setting_Sensitivity_High_iOS">H Sensitivity:</string>
<string name="SmartTalkingMode_Setting_Sensitivity_Low">L Sensitivity</string>
<string name="SmartTalkingMode_Setting_Sensitivity_Low_Detail">Select this setting when voice detection sensitivity is too high. Effective when the speaker is close by.</string>
<string name="SmartTalkingMode_Setting_Sensitivity_Low_iOS">L Sensitivity:</string>
<string name="SmartTalkingMode_Setting_Sensitivity_Title">Voice Detect Sensitivity</string>
<string name="SmartTalkingMode_Setting_Title">Speak-to-Chat Setting</string>

<string name="SmartTalkingMode_Title_EnableFirstTime">Enabled Speak-to-Chat</string>
<string name="SmartTalkingMode_TurnOn">Enables Speak-to-Chat to perform settings.</string>
<string name="SmartTalkingMode_TurnOn_Title">Enables Speak-to-Chat</string>
<string name="SmartTalkingMode_TurnOn_conf">"This setting can be switched through operations on your headphones. The operation method can be checked in [Help]."</string>
<string name="SmartTalkingMode_TurnOn_conf_Title">Enable Speak-to-Chat?</string>

Sony | Headphones Connect (Free, Google Play) →

The post Sony’s upcoming WH-1000XM4 headphones may support DSEE Extreme, enable Ambient Sound when talking, and connect to multiple devices appeared first on xda-developers.

from xda-developers https://ift.tt/3eekakx
via IFTTT