We've been anticipating the launch of the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones this year, and it looks like we won't have to wait much longer: a big leak has revealed their expected look and new features .

The Sony WH-1000XM4 have dominated our list of the best headphones since their launch, but those were a pretty subtle update over their predecessor – the design was barely changed, and they used a lot of the same features.

The Sony WH-1000XM5 look like a more radical upgrade, though… in fact, from what we're seeing so far, there may not be a single thing that'll be carried over from the last model to this one. So here are the five key upgrades you need to know about based on the big leak, and one area where it looks like the new headphones will actually be less useful.

1. Niftier noise cancellation

This is the big upgrade you'd hope for from Sony headphones, and it sounds (ahem) like the WH-1000XM5 will deliver. The original leak said that Sony will use two dedicated chips for active noise cancellation here, and I'd expect them to feature a similar design to the Sony V1 integrated system first used in the Sony WF-1000XM4.

Why is the Sony V1 good? It compresses a bunch of different chips into one package, including wireless connectivity, signal processing and the digital-to-analogue conversion needed to actually create sound from the drivers. Integrating these chips together reduces the lag that happens when you you pass information from one chip to another, and this can really help with improving active noise cancellation: the noise cancellation system needs to 'hear' what's going on around you before it can compensate for it – it's always reactive. And the faster it can react, the less sound will leak through before it kicks into gear.

I also expect Sony to use a different driver design that's more dynamic – but we'll come back to that in a moment.

2. Cooler looks

The Sony WH-1000XM4 don't look bad by any means, but with their flowing, wraparound plastic, they're not quite following the more modern headphone design trend you see from the likes of the Bose noise cancelling headphones 700 or Apple AirPods Max .

The new look that leaked in the images above takes a big step towards a simpler design – you now have a uniformly round headband all the way along, a simple pole where it connects to the earcup, and a super-plain and symmetrical design for the earcups themselves.

I think it looks great – I don't mind the busier design of the current models at all, but this really looks like a next-gen model, whereas the XM4 barely tweaked the look from the XM3.

The only thing I'm a bit disappointed with is that apparently it'll come in the same colors as before: black and a kind of putty-like gray shade. Hasn't anyone told Sony we're in the era of colorful tech now?

3. Better sound

As you'd expect, the leak says we'll get better sound from the new model, but there isn't much in the way of specifics. But here's what my money's on: it'll mostly come from the more dynamic driver mentioned above.

When we talk about a speaker driver being more dynamic, we basically mean that it can change its movement more quickly than one that's less dynamic. Speaker drivers work by vibrating back and forth, shifting air, and they have to keep changing the type of movement to create different sounds. Like anything that moves, they build up momentum when moving – and too much momentum makes it hard to change direction quickly – just ask anyone with an SUV.

A more dynamic driver can respond more quickly to changes in the music, which helps it to reveal more detail (because it can respond to the need for subtle sounds more easily) – and this provides better sound quality. You'll hear more detail in the exact same music streams.

And the more dynamic a driver is, the better it will be for active noise cancellation, because the headphones are constantly monitoring and tweaking the sound in order to cancel the noise around you. Again, a more dynamic driver responds quicker, so more noise is successfully blocked.

More dynamic drivers are also better for Spatial Audio (for the exact reasons covered above), and with Sony still pushing its 360 Reality Audio tech, it would make sense for it to use speaker tech that's better for this purpose too. So that's why I expect a new driver to, er, drive the improvements here.

4. Even bigger battery life

The XM5 leak says we can expect 40 hours of battery life from the new model, which is a big leap from the 30 hours the XM4 offer.

Giant battery life is become more and more common among top headphones, no doubt partly because of models like Sony's setting a high standard. So it's nice to see that Sony is likely going to keep up with the pace.

And note that it's 40 hours with ANC turned on, reportedly – it'll be even longer with it turned off.

5. Better Bluetooth

The XM5 will apparently include support for Bluetooth 5.2, which provides a few nice upgrades, but the two you're mostly likely to benefit from are support for a new lower-energy codec, meaning you could listen in standard streaming quality while using less battery life (and I suspect that this isn't counted towards the 40-hour battery life, so it may prolong that even further); and the ability for the headphones to connect to multiple devices at the same time.

Note, with the second one there I don't mean to pair with multiple devices at once. That's old news. The headphones will actually maintain a connection with your laptop and phone at the same time, so if you need to switch between them, it'd be instant. No reconnection and awkward pause required.

But… no more folding

I've already mentioned that I love the new look being promised here, but there is a major downside to the design change (for me, at least): they won't fold any more. You'll still get a travel case, but it's larger than the case for the old model.

It's not a dealbreaker in any way, but I think it's a genuine step backwards for a pair of headphones that are made for travel to lose their ability to fold down smaller. I make use of this pretty every time I go anywhere with them – especially when flying.

But I've also spoken to other headphones nerds about it, and not everyone feels the same about the need to fold. Still, it's a shame that it won't even be an option for people like me.

Bang & Olufsen's new wireless earbuds beat the AirPods Pro on design, but not price

Love the noise-cancelling properties of the AirPods Pro, but hate the minimalist design? The latest wireless earbuds from Danish audio brand Bang & Olufsen might be right up your street.

The Beoplay EX are a pair of noise-cancelling true wireless earbuds , and the first from Bang & Olufsen to feature protruding stems – like the AirPods range of in-ear headphones .

That's where the design similarities between the AirPods Pro and the Beoplay EX end, though. True to form, Bang & Olufsen has given its new wireless earbuds a luxurious finish, with heaps of Scandinavian style that'll set them apart from other in-ear headphones on the market.

Made from aluminum and tempered glass, and coming in a range of fashionable colors, the Beoplay EX certainly look like a premium pair of true wireless earbuds – and unfortunately, they come with a price tag to match.

Available from the beginning of May, the new earbuds will set you back $399 / £349 (about AU$530). That's considerably more expensive than the AirPods Pro, which cost $249 / £249 / AU$399.

So, what are you actually getting for your money? Well, according to Bang & Olufsen, you're getting the brand's "most versatile true wireless ANC earphones to date".

ANC that adapts to your surroundings

The Beoplay EX come with adaptive active noise cancellation, which the company says will allow the user to appreciate the "depth, detail, and clarity of sound" for a "truly immersive audio experience".

The earbuds monitor ambient sound and automatically adjust the level of noise cancellation to cut it out, while a 'Transparency' mode allows you to hear the sound of your environment.

According to Bang & Olufsen, the new design of the noise-cancelling earbuds allowed the space for 9.2mm drivers – its biggest so far. This apparently has resulted in a significant upgrade in terms of audio power compared to the brand's previous in-ear headphones, such as the Beoplay EQ and the Beoplay E8 Sport .

In terms of battery life, you're looking at six hours from the buds themselves (eight, if you have ANC turned off) and a further 14 hours from the wireless charging case. That on-board battery life is pretty impressive, but we'd have liked to see more playback time from the charging case – especially at this price.

Still, the Beoplay EX do come with some quality-of-life features that could justify their cost. An IP57 dust- and water-resistance rating means they should be very robust, while Bluetooth 5.2 should ensure seamless connectivity and pairing.

You also get aptX Adaptive support, so you should be able to enjoy hi-res audio files, and multipoint pairing means you'll be able to switch between different devices very quickly.

Whether that – combined with the sleek design – is enough to convince you to part ways with $399 / £349 is a matter of personal taste. For us, it all comes down to the audio performance – and we can't wait to try these stylish earbuds for ourselves to see if they sound as good as they look.

James Bond Prime Video show will leave you shaken but not stirred

A James Bond spin-off show has been announced by Amazon Studios – but 007 fans can rest easy as it won't be an official entry in the legendary spy's cinematic franchise.

Per multiple outlets including Variety and Deadline , 007's Road to a Million – a James Bond-inspired, around the world-style show – has been greenlit for Amazon's streaming platform. The eight-part competition series is the first James Bond property that Amazon will create following its $8.5 billion acquisition of MGM, i the studio behind the fictional character's long-running film franchise.

007's Road to a Million will see contestants compete in a globetrotting adventure – we don't expect many of Bond's cars to feature , though – to land a £1 million ($1.3 million USD) prize. The Prime Video show will reportedly be filmed in a number of iconic locations from James Bond's movie series , with various challenges set to test the resolve, intelligence, and endurance of would-be competitors.

According to Deadline, potential contestants will have to team up with another person to take part. At this point, though, it's not clear if the £1 million prize pool will be shared between the winning two-person team, or whether each contestant will each receive the seven-figure sum. Upon completing challenges, each duo will have to answer questions hidden in certain locations in order to progress to the competition's next stage. Production is slated to begin later this year, although there's no word on which famous Bond locations will be used.

Additionally, Variety reports that the show has been in active development since 2018. Sources close to the project have suggested that the TV show was formulated long before Amazon acquired MGM, which will sit independent of any other upcoming James Bond Prime Video productions.

Long-time Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson will help to co-develop the series alongside MGM Television. No release date has been revealed yet, but those wishing to apply for 007's Road to a Million can do so by filling out this form .

Analysis: a view to a monetary thrill?

While James Bond fans can rest in the knowledge that he won't be making the leap to the small screen just yet, 007's Road to a Million does present some intriguing questions.

For starters, is this the direction that Amazon Studios is looking to take the iconic spy's franchise? Sure, it's a TV series that's sure to provide some form of entertainment for Prime Video viewers, but we're not sure if it's the kind of content that'll make would-be subscribers sign up for the streaming service .

Okay, a spin-off like this means that the character of James Bond will continue to appear on the big screen – for the time being, at least – but why use his name and numeric alias as the backdrop to the show? Would something like this not work just as well without the ties to the Bond franchise? There are similar 'around the world' race-style shows on Prime Video already, including World's Toughest Race and Race Across the World. They've done just fine without a property like James Bond behind them, so what's the need for a game show such as this?

James Bond fans were already hesitant about the prospect of spin-off films and TV shows. In our opinion, though, we suspect that many of that number – ourselves included – would prefer to see projects set in the character's fictional universe, rather than a spin-off like 007's Road to a Million.

Still, there's plenty for Bond fans to look forward to outside of 007's Road to a Million. The search is on for a new actor to step in Bond's shoes after Daniel Craig ended his 15-year stint with 2021's No Time to Die . If you're interested, check out our definitive ranking of Craig's Bond movies , too. Alternatively, read up on who we consider to be the best Bond of all-time .