Sony WH-1000XM4C leak: the “budget” XM4 that could cost double the old model’s UAE price

Sony is reportedly bringing back the WH-1000XM4 as a cheaper variant, and the price tells the story. Reliable leaker billbil-kun says the WH-1000XM4C launches early September at €249.99 — around $290 — in black, silver and lavender.

The XM4C keeps the original’s formula: the QN1 noise-cancelling chip, spatial audio, hi-res support and touch controls. The cut is battery life, which drops from 38 to 34 hours with ANC off (30 to 27 with it on). The original XM4 launched in 2020 at $349.99; the XM6 followed last year at $449.

What it means if you’re shopping in the UAE

The “budget” label needs context. The six-year-old XM4 sells for around AED 500 on Amazon.ae today, so a new XM4C at €249.99 — roughly AED 1,050–1,100 converted — would cost about double what the model it is based on goes for in the UAE right now. It also lands close to the XM6’s street price of about AED 1,159 online, against an AED 1,699 list price at Jumbo and Virgin Megastore — figures from tbreak’s Sony WH-1000XM6 Olive Gray coverage. Sony’s WF-1000XM6 earbuds went the same route this year, launching at $330 before regional pricing settled.

For anyone who just wants Sony’s ANC at the lowest price, the existing XM4 is already there. The XM4C’s appeal is a fresh pair with the older design and a battery that has not spent six years being recharged — at a price that sits awkwardly between the discounted old model and the current flagship.

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