Six years later, Sony revisits its legendary XM4 headphones

<figure> <img alt="The white Sony WH-1000XM4C headphones next to black WH-1000XM4 headphones, an iPhone, and their black carrying case on a wooden table." data-caption="The XM4C (in white) have the exact same visual design as the XM4 (in black) from 2020. | Photo: John Higgins / The Verge" data-portal-copyright="Photo: John Higgins / The Verge" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/sony-wh-1000xm4c-headphones-comparison.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;crop=0,0,100,100" /> <figcaption> The XM4C (in white) have the exact same visual design as the XM4 (in black) from 2020. | Photo: John Higgins / The Verge </figcaption> </figure> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Six years ago Sony and Bose were in the middle of a noise-canceling battle, with each new model of headphones better than the last. In the fall of 2020, Sony released the <a href="https://www.theverge.com/21356313/sony-1000xm4-noise-canceling-headphones-review-price-specs-features">WH-1000XM4</a> headphones to wide acclaim. They sat atop best headphones lists for years, thanks to their great sound, competitive ANC, and compact size, until they went out of stock. Now Sony has brought them back, with minor improvements, as the WH-1000XM4C.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The XM4C look identical to the original XM4 (although they now have a lavender option), with the same hinge design and ability to fold up. It's a compact design that Sony moved away from when it released <a href="https://www.theverge.com/23067645/sony-wh-1000xm5-noise-canceling-headphones-review">the XM5 in 2022</a>, …</p> <p><a href="https://www.theverge.com/tech/990687/sony-announces-xm4c-headphones">Read the full story at The Verge.</a></p>