Sony LinkBuds: Sony’s most unusual true wireless earbuds yet
Sony’s LinkBuds prioritise awareness over audio quality for an audience seeking simultaneous connection to both the real and virtual world
Japanese tech giant Sony has unveiled its latest headphones, the Sony LinkBuds, true wireless earbuds designed to facilitate full environmental awareness while you’re listening to audio or on the phone.
Unlike the company’s flagship WF-1000XM4, the LinkBuds let external sound in rather than block it out. They do so via holes in the centre of their unique 12mm ring-shaped drivers, which are held in your ears by “support arms” that function similarly to stabiliser fins and wingtips.
It’s an intriguing design that places ambient awareness above sound quality; not only does the open-ear nature of the buds mean external sound will impact your audio, but there’s no support for Sony’s high-resolution LDAC Bluetooth codec. 
Despite being designed for a less audio quality-conscious audience than the WF-1000XM4, the Sony LinkBuds share a number of things in common with their noise-cancelling counterparts. Both are powered by Sony’s Processor V1 chip, possess an IPX4 rating for water resistance and are compatible with the Sony Headphones app.
The LinkBuds also support one of the WF-1000XM4’s most useful features, Speak-to-Chat, which automatically pauses audio when your voice is detected, along with DSEE HX audio upscaling, adaptive volume control, Google Fast Pair and Microsoft Swift Pair. You’ll even be able to create custom EQs via the companion app and switch between a handful of Sony presets.
The amount of advanced technology Sony has managed to squeeze into the LinkBuds is particularly impressive given how compact they are. The buds are 51% smaller and 40% lighter than the WF-1000XM4, while the accompanying charging case has been shrunk down significantly, too.
Battery life has taken a hit as a result, with the LinkBuds offering up to five-and-a-half hours of audio playback per charge and their case providing a further 12 hours of use. The more diminutive frame has also meant Sony has had to get inventive with the LinkBuds’ controls.
Rather than execute commands by tapping on the buds themselves, you’ll be tapping your face instead. Yes, you read that right, your face. The LinkBuds have built-in sensors that pick up on vibrations, and by double- or triple-tapping your face near your ears you’ll be able to control volume, audio playback and summon your voice assistant.
The new “wide tap area” can also be used to accept and reject calls, and Sony is keen to stress that call quality is one of the LinkBuds’ big strengths. Although they don’t use bone-conduction microphones, the LinkBuds make use of clever AI to isolate your voice based on your surroundings, which will hopefully result in an optimal telephonic experience.
Marketed at members of the “streaming generation” that seek to blend real-world awareness with a constant connection to the virtual world, the Sony LinkBuds go on sale in white and grey later this month with an RRP of £150. We’ll be getting a pair in soon, so be sure to check back for our full review of Sony’s innovative new earbuds.