Sony rolls out big software upgrade for its flagship wireless headphones and earbuds

What just happened? Sony's top wireless headphones and earbuds, the WH-1000XM5 and WF-1000XM5, are considered among the best in the business. With great active noise cancellation, top-notch sound quality, and looks, these devices have earned their reputation. But the company isn't resting on its laurels and has just rolled out a meaty firmware update packing some extremely useful capabilities.

The headline features coming to the WH-1000XM5 headphones, WF-1000XM5 earbuds, and LinkBuds S are Google's Find My Device and Fast Pair technologies alongside Auto Switch functionality. To sweeten the pot, Sony has revamped its audio app with a fresh coat of paint and a new moniker: "Sound Connect."

So, what exactly do these new features bring to the table? Well, Find My Device is a blessing for those who frequently misplace their devices, especially the hard-to-find earbuds. Fire up the app and you'll get the option to emit a beeping sound from the lost earbuds to help you locate them. The caveat is that this only works when the earbuds are connected to your phone via Bluetooth, meaning the case must remain open.

The Auto Switch feature is pretty slick, too. It allows you to seamlessly swap audio playback between enabled Sony devices simply by turning one off. You could be jamming on your headphones, and then switch to your earbuds just by powering down the headphones.

As for the Fast Pair feature, it makes pairing Bluetooth audio gear to your Android phone a breeze compared to the old-fashioned way of navigating through the Settings app. On supported devices, you'll see a new pop-up for quick connection as soon as your Sony device comes in close proximity for the first time.

Sony has also given its audio companion app a facelift to align with Google's Material Design 3. The yellow headphone icon is gone, replaced by something that can be passed off as looking more modern. The app's interface has been streamlined, with reconfigured bottom tabs for "My Device," "Discover," and "Menu."

The updates are rolling out now to supported Sony wireless audio products running the latest firmware versions.