This one falls under the category of “better late than never.” Sony’s premium wireless earbuds, the WF-1000XM4, now include Bluetooth Multipoint connectivity, which has been a long-requested feature, thanks to a software update that was eventually made available.
Sony previously stated that the upgrade would be made available in November 2022 when it first unveiled the new functionality. The other two Sony products (the Link Buds and Link Buds S) that were supposed to receive Multipoint did so at the scheduled time, but the XM4 were overlooked for some reason. But, the update is now accessible if you open the Sony Headphones app on your phone and connect your WF-1000XM4, as it was discovered by What Hi-Fi today.
Once the update process has begun, be prepared for a brief delay. Before the upgrade could start, I had to spend more than 30 minutes downloading and transferring the new software to the earbuds.
Once it’s finished, you ought to be given the option to pair the earphones with any existing device or select a new one. Remember that even though you can connect to two devices at once, you can only play audio from one of them at once. The Sony Headphones app can only be used on one of the devices when two are connected, but you can choose which one. Regardless of whether playback is coming from the device that has the app or not, the app will show the status and functionality of the earbuds.
I’m particularly glad to find that the WF-1000XM4’s ability to use Sony’s premium LDAC Bluetooth codec when linked to a suitable phone such a Google Pixel 7 Pro hasn’t been impacted by enabling multiple simultaneous device connections.
This addition is favourable. It was difficult for me to find anything I didn’t like about the WF-1000XM4 when I reviewed them shortly after their launch. But given that so many wireless earbuds—at practically all price points—now routinely include it, I thought it was terrible that they didn’t come with Bluetooth Multipoint.
Despite this, I gave the WF-1000XM4 a 9 out of 10 for everything else these fantastic wireless earbuds got right. I’ll think about whether or not that score needs to be changed once I’ve had a chance to test out the new Multipoint option.
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