It’s time to dust off my crystal ball and speculate on which new headphone models I think could appear this year. Since Covid, traditional launch cycles for some brands and products seem to have gone out of the window, but I believe that in 2025 there’s a good chance we will see at least a handful of huge launches in the wireless headphones world.
And they will need to be big given the number of quality five-star pairs out there now. Most of the big hitters, including Apple, Bose and Sony, currently all have pairs we have given five stars to, so the launch of any successor will not only be huge news but also hugely exciting. As someone who has experienced pretty much everything that these brands have to offer, I can't wait to get my hands on the next big thing, especially when it comes to new flagships.
Of course, you can never be sure if traditional naming conventions are going to continue or a manufacturer might throw a spanner in the works and tweak more than just a digit here and or letter there. For my list, I've assumed brands will pick up from where they've left off.
Only one pair below has been heavily rumoured to appear on the Internet, while the others are all my own speculation based on previous launch dates and taking into account other new headphones I've seen launch over the past couple of years.
Is there a particular pair you would like to see hit the market in 2025? Is there a sequel you’ve been waiting for, or maybe just a tweak of an existing model to add a feature or change a design element? Let me know in the comments below…
Apple AirPods Pro 3
Apple didn’t exactly set the headphones world alight with its 2024 update to its flagship over-ear headphones, the AirPods Max. I’m hoping for bigger things from the AirPods Pro 3 wireless earbuds if they arrive in 2025. Apple’s current flagship buds, the AirPods Pro 2 impressed us enough to give them a five-star review when they appeared on the scene in September 2022. They are undoubtedly Apple’s best buds to date, but there’s always room for improvement.
Although, to Apple’s credit, the tech giant has continued to add new features to the AirPods Pro 2 since they launched, including Adaptive Audio, Personalised Volume and Conversation Awareness, so they have evolved quite nicely.
If the AirPods Pro 3 do materialise in 2025, I’ll be looking for even better sound quality, boosted ANC (which I have a hunch Apple will enlist the help of AI to help tweak), tweaked battery life (which currently sits at six hours) and a more stable connection in crowded environments. As I’ve been testing more and more wireless earbuds this year, the drop in connection stands out when I’m out using them and walking around crowded train/tube stations.
The latest AirPods Pro 3 rumours point to a possible launch early in the year, but historically Apple’s AirPods have launched later. Needless to say, I’ll be keeping a close eye on this one.
- Read our AirPods Pro 2 review
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2
If you’re looking for launches that could potentially happen towards the end of 2025, then a second-generation pair of QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds might not be out of the picture. After all, September will mark the second anniversary of the originals and Bose has been known to refresh some of its pairs every couple of years.
Another reason why I think next year might see the launch of new flagship Bose wireless earbuds is because of the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds (2024) that launched last September. Their unveiling ushered in not only a new look but also new features that aren’t available on the QC Ultra Earbuds. Bose also introduced a brand-new companion app that isn’t compatible with the current flagship. To me, it would seem strange to leave the Ultras in limbo longer than they need to be, and bringing them in line with the new app and adding extra features as soon as realistically possible would make sense.
So what could we expect to see from any new flagship Bose buds? I’d expect a boost in battery life of sorts – the Ultras offer six hours per charge, which is okay but feels a little low by some modern standards – and improvements in call quality and even potentially an ANC tweak, even though Bose seems to have the formula for noise-cancelling earbuds well and truly sorted at the moment.
Bowers & Wilkins PX9
The luxury headphone market has grown significantly in recent years. With options approaching the £1000 / $1000 mark, it’s going to be interesting to see who is next to market with a pair that attempts to take headphone design and sound to the next level.
One brand I can see potentially making a move is Bowers & Wilkins. Its Px8 wireless headphones launched back in September 2022, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the audio giant was well along the path with a successor that maybe sits even higher up the price scale. The Px8 launched at £599 / $699 / AU$1150 and wowed us with their classy looks and luxurious build elements such as the use of nappa leather on the headband, earpads and earcups, and beautifully finished aluminium arms. And they backed this up with outstanding sound quality. We were also blown away by their “outstanding clarity” and “fast and punchy sonic presentation”.
We’ve already seen Bowers & Wilkins have great success with its latest pair of flagship wireless earbuds, the Pi8, which we thought justified their hefty price tag and a five-star rating. And I wouldn’t be surprised if the company tries to mirror this with its over-ears and go one better than the Px8.
- Read our Bowers & Wilkins PX8 review
Sennheiser Momentum 5 Wireless
One brand that quietly and efficiently goes about its business in the wireless headphones market is Sennheiser. Its Momentum range has proved to be a consistent and much-loved line over the years and has spawned several pairs that we’ve rated five stars.
The Momentum 4 Wireless arrived in August 2022, so if we’re looking at a two to three-year cycle, 2025 could be the perfect time for a new pair to come to market. It’s interesting to note that the company’s Momentum True Wireless 4 earbuds only came out in January 2024, so I’m wondering whether Sennheiser would want a fifth-generation over-ear on sale at the same time as the 4th Gen earbuds, or would it prefer to wait a little longer to bring the product cycles closer together?
To its credit, the current Momentum 4 Wireless model is still extremely competitive, especially given recent price discounts. Its claimed 60-hour battery life when Bluetooth and ANC are enabled is quite remarkable, while their neutral, musical sound keeps you entertained. They also boast many useful features and good noise-cancelling too. Sony seems to have had the edge in recent years but I think Sennheiser could really push them close with a new model if it gets the formula right.
Sonos Ace 2
Sonos’s much-rumoured move into the headphones space became a reality in 2024 with the arrival of the Sonos Ace. Going off the impact they had in the soundbar and wireless speaker markets, we hoped they would be a bona fide rival to the established competition from the likes of Bose and Sony.
But, when we tested them, we were surprised to find them a bit of a mixed bag. We really liked the build quality and streamlined design which looked pretty fresh given what else is in the market. They were nice to use with solid controls and we found them comfortable to wear for long periods. However, in our opinion, Sonos really missed the mark with sound quality, which surprised us. They just don’t sound exciting or dynamic to listen to. There’s a real lack of clarity and expression compared to the class leaders.
Now, I’m not expecting Sonos to go back to the drawing board and launch a brand-new model, but could Sonos tweak the Ace’s sound profile via a firmware update? Manufacturers are constantly making small updates to their headphones during their shelf life, so I think there could be a chance, but only a slim one. I suppose the next big question is, could Sonos launch a pair of premium wireless earbuds so they have both in-ear and over-ear headphones categories covered?
- Read our Sonos Ace review
Sony WH-1000XM6
This would be huge news and the launch I've been waiting for. It’s coming to that time of the headphones cycle when we are due another pair of flagship wireless over-ears from Sony. Its current WH-1000XM5 model is over two years old now, but I think they are still the benchmark for wireless headphones at their level. It will be interesting to see whether Sony consolidates or decides to try and push the envelope if it chooses to launch a new model.
After all, the XM5 were quite a big departure from the build and styling of the WH-1000XM4, so I’d be surprised if they ripped everything up and started again for their successor. To its credit, Sony has been able to consistently up the audio quality from generation to generation, so if it can do this with a new model that would be half the battle. What else would I like to see? I still think Sony could learn a thing or two from a couple of other brands.
Bose still just has the edge when it comes to noise-cancelling (thanks to the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones) and Sennheiser’s Momentum 4 Wireless over-ears deliver some big numbers when it comes to battery life. You could also argue that the build quality of the WH-1000XM5 took a bit of a backwards step compared to XM4, so I’m fascinated and excited to see what might appear.
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