Sony has revived its acclaimed WH-1000XM4 headphones, six years after their original launch, releasing a refreshed version called the WH-1000XM4C. The move is notable because the original XM4 was widely regarded as one of the best noise-cancelling headphones ever made, prized for their sound quality, compact folding design and effective ANC, but had gone out of stock after being succeeded by the XM5 and XM6 models. Rather than a full redesign, the XM4C essentially brings back the old formula with only modest tweaks, raising questions about why Sony is looking backwards rather than forwards in a market that has moved on considerably.

The XM4C keep the same folding hinge design, QN1 processing chip and four-microphone ANC setup as the original, now looking dated compared with the XM6's 12 microphones and newer QN3 chip. Updates include a 10-band EQ, a gaming preset and Bluetooth 6 support, plus a new lavender colour option, though battery life has actually dipped slightly to 27 hours from 30. They will cost $300 when they arrive this autumn, cheaper than the XM6 but pricier than XM4 clearance deals. Alongside the XM4C, Sony also launched the more affordable WH-CH730N and WH-CH530 headphones, a new volume-limiting "safe mode", and a Hello Kitty-branded headphone collaboration.