There is no doubt about the popularity of Sony headphones. The WF-1000XM4 and LinkBuds S models have sold millions of units to date. Both headphones have over 18,000 reviews on Amazon alone. However, for quite some time now, these headphones have been failing in droves. To rub salt into the proverbial wound, the systemic failure happens right after the warranty ends. What’s going on? We asked Sony for their side of the story.
What’s Wrong with Your Headphones, Sony?
The Sony WF-1000XM4 was launched in mid-2021 and cost $280. In our review, they were deemed to be the best in-ear headphones you could buy. It also turned out that these Sony headphones could easily withstand an eight-hour music session with Active Noise Cancellation enabled and the volume set to around 50 percent. Only after well over 9 hours would your listening enjoyment come to an end. However, this is no longer the case for some users who experienced their headphones dying just after a quarter of an hour of music playback despite being fully charged. Out of the 25,000 plus reviews on Amazon, over 4,100 of them now sport a 1-star rating.
Users of the LinkBuds S have a similar experience. These headphones went on sale at the end of 2022 and also surprised us in the review. For close to $200 a pop, you get to enjoy incredibly good sound. Sony still sells the model on Amazon today, and the price has been slashed to $128. However, we can no longer recommend these headphones based on the most recent events. The reason? Batteries in this model also seem to fail rather quickly. What’s even more annoying is how many users left a review on Amazon, saying that the batteries of the Sony LinkBuds S simply fail to function as expected right after the warranty expires. One user even wrote: “To me, this looks like planned obsolescence.”
One reader described how this defect occurred in his Sony LinkBuds S. “It happened relatively suddenly, from one day to the next. The app actually shows that the headphones are fully charged, but after 20 to 40 minutes, my left earbud simply died. Sometimes, the headphones announce in advance with a voice that they are empty, and sometimes, they just stop functioning. Resetting the headphones didn’t help either, according to our reader.
What Does Sony Have to Say?
The battery problem is not new. If you were to browse around sites like Reddit, users of both the Sony LinkBuds S and those who use the WF-1000XM4 complained about the miserable battery life. While everything looked rosy at the beginning after purchase, the batteries no longer live up to Sony’s promises after a year. Many users are venting their frustration about this matter on Amazon and are understandably angry. “After exactly 2 years, the battery on one side is dead, and after 20 minutes of listening, the side simply switches off, while the other side still has >70% battery life”, based on one of the numerous negative reviews. “Customer support was of no help and recommended that I buy a new one. I did, but enough is enough, Sony.” This is an extremely bitter pill to swallow for the Japanese manufacturer, who is actually known for outstanding quality in its products.
We also experienced similar battery problems with the Sony WF-1000XM4 and the LinkBuds S. Our review units suffered from the same fate as many others. After we took the fully charged headphones out of the case and began listening to our favorite tunes, the sound stopped after about half an hour. Resetting the headphones (pressing and holding the touch surfaces of the headphones for ten seconds while they are in the case) did not solve the problem. We tried to update the firmware to the latest version, but that did not offer any respite either.
Sony tried to help with a recommendation on its support page. The note at the end says, “If the steps in these articles do not remedy the issue, please contact our Product Support team for further assistance.” Many users tried that remedy but were often left helpless as Sony was unable to help them or could only help to a limited extent.
What are Your Options?
We asked Sony what the problem was and why it occurred so often right after the warranty period ended. A spokesperson told us: “We can rule out a connection between the cases and the warranty period.” We were not given an explanation as to what the actual problem with the headphones was. Are the batteries failing after a period of time? Is it a software update that shortened the runtime to a frightening degree, or is it something else entirely? Sony is leaving thousands of customers and buyers out in the cold. However, the Japanese company explained what affected users can do.
“During the warranty period, it is, of course, possible to send the headphones to Sony’s Repair Service free of charge,” said the Sony spokesperson. Affected users can initiate the process online on this website. “If a defect is discovered, the headphones will be replaced within the warranty period, which, of course, also applies to the LinkBuds S,” Sony explained to us. We also asked what users can do after the warranty has expired, but the company left this question unanswered.
Battery Problems with Sony WF-1000XM4 and LinkBuds S: How About Replacing the Battery Instead?
It goes without saying that batteries will eventually die, given enough time. It’s annoying these days you can’t simply replace batteries in smartphones, headphones, or other consumer electronics devices like you used to. However, if you have a bit of skill, you can replace the battery in the Sony WF-1000XM4 and the LinkBuds S yourself. Instructions are available on YouTube, for instance. In addition to a little dexterity, you will need two new batteries, which are available from Amazon as a set with tools for around $25. Replacement batteries are also available for the Sony LinkBuds S. Assuming the headphones and new batteries were to last for another two years, the asking price is justified.
