Sony’s new LinkBuds add voice controls without a smart assistant

Sony has announced new versions of its LinkBuds wireless earbuds with “improved wearability” and built-in voice controls, making them easier to leave in your ears all day. Both the new LinkBuds Open and LinkBuds Fit are available for preorder today for $199.99, alongside a new LinkBuds Speaker debuting at $179.99 that will be limited to the US market.

The original Sony LinkBuds, first announced in early 2022, featured a unique “open ring design” that skipped sound-isolating ear tips for a donut-shaped speaker, allowing ambient sounds to be heard at all times. The new version, now known as the LinkBuds Open, features a similar but smaller design, with a new 11-millimeter speaker to enhance volume and bass performance. Sony also includes redesigned silicone wings called “Air Fitting Supporters” that it says will reduce pressure points and make the earbuds more comfortable to wear for longer periods.

With voice control capabilities now built right into the LinkBuds Open, you can adjust volume, skip tracks, and change ANC modes without having to ask Siri or Google Assistant to do it for you. It also means that voice controls are available when connected to devices that lack a voice-activated assistant of their own, like consoles or in-flight entertainment systems.

Battery life for the LinkBuds Open is now eight hours with the earbuds alone, or a total of 22 hours with their charging case (up from 5.5 hours and 17.5 hours, previously), while a three-minute quick charge will provide up to an hour of music playback. To further extend battery life, Sony is adding a new “auto battery save” option that turns off features like EQ adjustments, speak to chat, and voice controls when the earbuds’ batteries drop below 20 percent.

The LinkBuds Open come with Bluetooth 5.3, offer multi-device connectivity, and support the SBC, AAC, and LC3 codecs. Sony says the earbuds also now feature the same V2 chip as its flagship WF-1000XM5 earbuds, offering a more stable connection to devices.

The new LinkBuds Fit are a smaller and lighter version of the LinkBuds S, which debuted in mid-2022 as an alternative to the original LinkBuds for those wanting ANC. The new Fit comes with shorter ear tips and Sony’s “Air Fitting Supporters,” similar to what’s included with the LinkBuds Open, to help better distribute the weight of the earbuds around the ear.

Their smaller size does come with a sacrifice in battery life for the buds: it is now 5.5 hours instead of six. But when the LinkBuds Fit are paired with their charging case, overall battery life improves from 20 hours to 21, with the same quick charge capabilities as the LinkBuds Open.

The new Fit also feature the V2 processor from Sony’s WF-1000XM5 earbuds, powering both its ANC and ambient sound modes. The Fit also inherit the Dynamix Driver X from Sony’s premium earbuds for improved sound quality, and while its Bluetooth capabilities match the LinkBuds Open, their codec compatibility includes support for Sony’s LDAC, which allows better quality Hi-Res audio to be streamed.

If you’re looking to customize the appearance of the LinkBuds Fit, Sony will also sell the “Air Fitting Supporters” in several alternate colors like ash pink, ash green, and pure black for $9.99, as well as a $19.99 silicone cover for the charging case in matching shades.

Sony is expanding its LinkBuds line with the new LinkBuds Speaker, designed to complement the wireless earbuds. Featuring a single tweeter and woofer paired with a passive radiator, the speaker includes a charging dock; Sony says battery life is as much as 25 hours at moderate volume or up to six hours at maximum volume.

What sets the LinkBuds Speaker apart from Sony’s other wireless speakers is a new Auto Switch mode that can automatically swap playback from the earbuds when you get close enough. Compatible models include the new LinkBuds Fit and Open, the older LinkBuds S, and Sony’s WH-1000XM5 and WF-1000XM5 headphones. So, if you’re listening to music and head into the kitchen to make a snack, you can opt to have the music switch to the speaker and give your ears a break.

The LinkBuds Speaker includes a microphone so it can be used as a speakerphone, a button that will start streaming music from your preferred service, and daily routines that can be scheduled through a mobile app, so you can use it as an alarm clock. It’s available in either a gray or black finish, but with limited IPX4 splash resistance, it’s mostly designed for indoor use away from bad weather or the risk of being dunked in a pool.