Design-wise, the earbuds drop the “open ring driver” design of the earlier Sony LinkBuds, and their charging case is now vertical, more akin to an AirPods, as opposed to a wedding ring-style case. However, the LinkBuds S still have rubber ear tips and the same touch controls.
Sony has teamed up with partner company Niantic, known for creating the popular mobile game Pokémon Go, on the development of another AR game called Ingress.
More specifically, the game can and will use the spatial sound technology of these earbuds to “allow players to enjoy a new experience in which sound is delivered in the direction they look.”
Sony’s Precise Voice Pickup technology helps you get your voice clear during calls
The Sony LinkBuds S feature the same Voice Pickup technology as the new Sony WH-1000XM5, which the company claims should help clarify your voice during conversations, even on a busy street or in windy weather. These LinkBuds also have a mesh structure around the microphones, which should provide some wind isolation.
The LinkBuds S promise “immersive sound, authentic music”
Here’s what Sony has to say regarding LinkBuds S sound quality:
LinkBuds S deliver immersive sound and authentic reproduction, so you can enjoy your music, video or social media content the way the creator intended. Using a new 5mm driver unit, these tiny earbuds impress and produce powerful bass and stunningly clear vocals despite their size, bringing out the best in whatever genre or entertainment you choose. While Sony’s Integrated Processor V1 improves noise cancellation, improves sound quality and reduces distortion with less power for distraction-free listening, perfect for busy commutes.
With these new headphones, you can also enjoy high-resolution wireless audio, thanks to LDAC, Sony’s industry-standard audio coding technology. All your music is restored to high range sound with the use of DSEE Extreme which upscales digital music files in real time so you can appreciate all the fine details the artist has injected into your most loved songs.
These earbuds are ready for LE Audio, a next-generation Bluetooth audio that enables ultra-low latency ideal for gaming.
Compatibility with Google Assistant and Alexa, Speak-to-Chat
Like the newly announced XM5s, these LinkBuds S also have support for both the Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa’s virtual assistants.
So if the user is using an Android phone, he can call up Google Assistant with the familiar “Ok Google” phrase.
It is also noteworthy that music automatically pauses when the user speaks to someone (“Speak-to-Chat”), even if that person is a virtual assistant.
The usual touch controls
As we often see in earbuds from Sony, Samsung and many other manufacturers these days, the LinkBuds S have touch controls as opposed to physical buttons. So we can expect a familiar touch sensor experience – tapping it to play, pause, switch between ANC and ambient sound, and so on.
Official Sony LinkBuds S battery life claims
According to the Japanese company, the Sony LinkBuds S offer a battery life of a whole day. To be precise – about 6 hours of playback with noise cancellation on, but before you ask – that’s just the battery life of the earbuds. Their case still has a battery charge of 14 hours, so yes – we can expect solid performance from these small, light earbuds.
It’s also said that a 5 minute quick charge will add up to an hour of extra playback time, so for those who are often in a rush, Sony has you covered.
Sony LinkBuds S price and release date
The Sony LinkBuds S will be available from Friday, May 20, 2022, with pre-orders starting today – May 18.
You can buy them in black or white for a suggested retail price of $200, which makes them slightly more expensive than the earlier LinkBuds ($180).
What do you think?
Stay tuned for our full review of the Sony LinkBuds S, coming soon! In the meantime, let us know what you think of it so far. Are you looking for new wireless earbuds? Would you consider them a better buy than the $180? Apple AirPods 3 and $150 Samsung Galaxy Buds 2?
