Sony's WF-1000XM4 earbuds: Difference between revisions

Sony's WF-1000XM4 earbuds
Basic Information
Release Year	2021
Product Type	Earbuds
In Production	No
Official Website	https://electronics.sony.com/audio/headphones/truly-wireless-earbuds/p/wf1000m4-Black

← Older edit Newer edit →

VisualWikitext

Revision as of 20:48, 2 August 2025

Consumer impact summary

User Safety – documented instances of earbuds overheating, swelling, & in some cases “popping open” during charging.
User Freedom – battery life reduced to minutes on one side without obvious cause.
Transparency – Sony has not issued a formal recall; guidance varies globally.
Service Access – warranty and out-of-warranty support has been inconsistent by region.

Incident

Thousands of users, following firmware version 1.4.2 (released July 2022), have reported severe and uneven battery depletion, typically affecting one earbud. Most often the right. Symptoms include rapid discharge (for example, 1–45 minutes of playtime) and unusually high temperatures when charging.^[1]

Reported battery failures and overheating incidents

At least four documented cases involve earbuds physically swelling or splitting open with audible “pop” and chemical odor while charging in the case.^[2] One user reported an earbud splitting while being removed from the ear during a meeting. Additional cases were documented via community forums in mid-2023.^[3]

Underlying causes

Community posts & technical speculation point to a combination of:

Firmware 1.4.2 disrupting charging controls and thermal management.
Possible use of ZeniPower (Z55H) cells in early production batches (mid-2021 to mid-2022) being more susceptible to overheating.^[4]

Firmware v1.5 and v1.6.1 were released to mitigate the issue, but Sony stated only that these updates “reduce” battery loss rather than repair existing damage.^[5]

Sony's response

Sony's response varied by region:

Japan – offered out-of-warranty replacements and pickup service for affected devices until September 2023.
United States – some users received replacements beyond warranty; others were charged for repairs.
European Union – some consumers received coverage under statutory protections; enforcement varied between member states.

Sony has not issued a formal recall or safety advisory, despite documented incidents. Official firmware notes refer only to “significant differences” in battery usage.

Consumer guidance

If one earbud shows significant battery drain relative to the other, or becomes unusually hot during charging:

Stop using the earbuds immediately and contact Sony support.
Report firmware version and charging symptoms.
In some regions, free replacements have been provided even outside warranty.
Avoid continued use if overheating occurs.

Documentation and evidence

Reliable source reporting includes:

Large Reddit thread linking failures to firmware 1.4.2.^[6]
Sony official community posts noting uneven battery drain and overheating.^[7]
Independent blogs documenting battery swelling and explosions.^[8]
Reviewer coverage advising warranty claims.^[9]

References

[1] Reddit – WF-1000XM4 severe battery issues

[2] The Walkman Blog – Sony WF-1000XM4 explodes while charging

[3] The Walkman Blog – Two more WF-1000XM4 battery failures

[4] Sony Community Latvia – WF-1000XM4 sudden battery drain

[5] Notebook Chat – Sony WF-1000XM4 battery drain issue

[6] Reddit – WF-1000XM4 severe battery issues

[7] Sony Community – battery issue acknowledgment

[8] The Walkman Blog – Another battery failure

[9] DHRME – We were wrong about WF-1000XM4

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{Stub}}
 {{ProductCargo
 |Company=Sony
-|ProductLine=Sony WF
+|ProductLine=WF-1000XM4
 |ReleaseYear=2021
 |InProduction=No
@@ Line 9: / Line 8: @@
 |Logo=Sony.svg
 |Website=https://electronics.sony.com/audio/headphones/truly-wireless-earbuds/p/wf1000m4-Black
-|Description=The WF-1000XM4 earbuds have had issues regarding the battery performance after OTA firmware updates, with them being very hot during charging cycles.
+|Description=Users have reported rapid battery drain and overheating in one earbud following firmware update v1.4.2, occasionally resulting in battery failure or casing damage.
 }}
 ==Consumer impact summary==
-{{Placeholder box|Overview of concerns that arise from the conduct towards users of the product (if applicable):
+*'''User Safety''' – documented instances of earbuds overheating, swelling, & in some cases ''“popping open”'' during charging.
-* User Freedom
+*'''User Freedom''' – battery life reduced to minutes on one side without obvious cause.
-* User Privacy
+*'''Transparency''' – Sony has not issued a formal recall; guidance varies globally.
-* Business Model
+*'''Service Access''' – warranty and out-of-warranty support has been inconsistent by region.
-* Market Control}}
-==Incidents==
+==Incident==
-This is a list of all consumer protection incidents related to this product. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{PAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].
+Thousands of users, following firmware version 1.4.2 (released July 2022), have reported severe and uneven battery depletion, typically affecting one earbud. Most often the right. Symptoms include rapid discharge (for example, 1–45 minutes of playtime) and unusually high temperatures when charging.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/SonyHeadphones/comments/x7mx2n/wf1000xm4_severe_battery_issues Reddit – WF-1000XM4 severe battery issues]</ref>
-{{Placeholder box|Replace the placeholder text in the sections below with the incidents that affect this product and a short summary. Also replace the link so it point to the right product line or company article.}}
-===Example incident one (''date'')===
-{{Main|link to the main article}}
-Short summary of the incident (could be the same as the summary preceding the article).
-===Example incident two (''date'')===
-...
-The video titled "Why you should never buy Sony earphones until they fix battery defects!" discusses significant battery issues in Sony's WF-1000XM4 earbuds, particularly after firmware updates. Users have reported severe uneven battery drain, with the affected earbud becoming excessively hot during charging. The common factor appears to be the 1.4.2 firmware update.
+===Reported battery failures and overheating incidents===
+At least four documented cases involve earbuds physically swelling or splitting open with audible “pop” and chemical odor while charging in the case.<ref>[https://thewalkmanblog.blogspot.com/2023/02/sony-wf-1000xm4-explodes-while-charging.html The Walkman Blog – Sony WF-1000XM4 explodes while charging]</ref> One user reported an earbud splitting while being removed from the ear during a meeting. Additional cases were documented via community forums in mid-2023.<ref>[https://thewalkmanblog.blogspot.com/2023/07/two-more-sony-wf-1000xm4-battery-failures.html The Walkman Blog – Two more WF-1000XM4 battery failures]</ref>
-[https://www.reddit.com/r/SonyHeadphones/comments/x7mx2n/wf1000xm4_severe_battery_issues/?utm_source=chatgpt.com&rdt=65095 Reddit] [https://archive.is/V0cUP Archived]
+===Underlying causes===
+Community posts & technical speculation point to a combination of:
+*Firmware 1.4.2 disrupting charging controls and thermal management.
+*Possible use of ZeniPower (Z55H) cells in early production batches (mid-2021 to mid-2022) being more susceptible to overheating.<ref>[https://community.sonylatvija.com/t5/portable-audio/wf-1000xm4-sudden-battery-drain-issue-2-days-after-warranty/td-p/3873533 Sony Community Latvia – WF-1000XM4 sudden battery drain]</ref>
-'''Key points:'''
+Firmware v1.5 and v1.6.1 were released to mitigate the issue, but Sony stated only that these updates “reduce” battery loss rather than repair existing damage.<ref>[https://www.notebookchat.com/index.php?topic=159996.0 Notebook Chat – Sony WF-1000XM4 battery drain issue]</ref>
-*'''Battery-drain issues:''' Many users have experienced rapid battery depletion in one earbud, leading to significantly reduced usage time. [https://www.trustedreviews.com/news/simple-sony-wf-1000xm5-change-fixes-the-xm4s-only-real-flaw-4353122]
+===Sony's response===
-*'''Overheating during charging:''' Some users have reported that the affected earbud becomes unusually hot while charging, indicating potential battery damage. [https://community.sony.co.uk/t5/portable-audio/wf-1000xm4-really-hot-while-charging-with-the-right-bud-draining/td-p/3966523]
+Sony's response varied by region:
-*'''Firmware-update concerns:''' The 1.4.2 firmware update is commonly associated with these battery issues. Users have noted that downgrading to earlier firmware versions may alleviate the problem, but this is not a guaranteed solution.
+*'''Japan''' – offered out-of-warranty replacements and pickup service for affected devices until September 2023.
+*'''United States''' – some users received replacements beyond warranty; others were charged for repairs.
+*'''European Union''' – some consumers received coverage under statutory protections; enforcement varied between member states.
-'''Recommendations:'''
+Sony has not issued a formal recall or safety advisory, despite documented incidents. Official firmware notes refer only to “significant differences” in battery usage.
-*'''Contact Sony support:''' If you experience these issues, reach out to Sony's customer service for assistance. They may offer warranty replacements or repairs.
+==Consumer guidance==
-*'''Monitor firmware updates:''' Be cautious with firmware updates. Before updating, check user forums and official communications for any reported issues related to the new firmware.
+If one earbud shows significant battery drain relative to the other, or becomes unusually hot during charging:
-*'''Community feedback:''' Engage with online communities, such as Reddit's r/SonyHeadphones, to share experiences and solutions with other users facing similar problems.
+*Stop using the earbuds immediately and contact Sony support.
+*Report firmware version and charging symptoms.
+*In some regions, free replacements have been provided even outside warranty.
+*Avoid continued use if overheating occurs.
+==Documentation and evidence==
+Reliable source reporting includes:
+*Large Reddit thread linking failures to firmware 1.4.2.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/SonyHeadphones/comments/x7mx2n/wf1000xm4_severe_battery_issues Reddit – WF-1000XM4 severe battery issues]</ref>
+*Sony official community posts noting uneven battery drain and overheating.<ref>[https://us.community.sony.com/s/question/0D54O00007iqVLYSA2/can-sony-acknowledge-the-battery-issue-with-wf1000xm4-firmware-vers-142 Sony Community – battery issue acknowledgment]</ref>
+*Independent blogs documenting battery swelling and explosions.<ref>[https://thewalkmanblog.blogspot.com/2023/03/another-sony-wf-1000xm4-battery-failure.html The Walkman Blog – Another battery failure]</ref>
+*Reviewer coverage advising warranty claims.<ref>[https://www.dhrme.nl/sony-wf-1000-xm4-we-were-wrong/ DHRME – We were wrong about WF-1000XM4]</ref>
 ==References==
 {{Reflist}}
 [[Category:Sony WF-1000XM4]]