2022 could be a hugely exciting year in the world of headphones if all the rumors about upcoming releases are to be believed.

Apple is expected to launch the AirPods Pro 2 later this year, the successors to the most popular noise-cancelling wireless earbuds on the planet. We’ve also heard rumors that the company’s working on the over-ear AirPods Max 2 .

In fact, the over-ear wireless headphones market could see a few new and exciting additions in 2022. Sony recently filed a patent for a new pair of noise-cancelling cans, which could relate to the Sony WH-1000XM5 - the follow-up to the best headphones you can buy today.

Not only that, but rumors of the first pair of Sonos headphones have been circulating for a while now, and if the company sticks to its schedule of releasing two new products a year, a release date could be in sight. The wireless speaker brand, which is well known for its multiroom audio connectivity, could even furnish its first pair of headphones with Wi-Fi connectivity, which would really shake up the competition.

None of these releases have been confirmed by the companies involved, but the number of patents and rumors surrounding these products makes us think they could all be launched this year. And if they are, 2022 could be the best year ever for audiophiles.

The AirPods Pro 2 are rumored to be the next noise-cancelling earbuds from Apple, picking up where the AirPods Pro left off.

We’ve heard that they’ll launch in late 2022; however, there’s an Apple event supposedly taking place on March 8 , which means the AirPods Pro could be revealed even sooner. Having said that, initial AirPods Pro 2 rumors pointed to a 2021 release date, which of course, never materialized - so, take this release date with a pinch of salt.

If the AirPods Pro 2 do launch this year, they could be the most advanced wireless earbuds we’ve ever seen. Rumored features like biometric fitness tracking, support for lossless audio, optical connectivity, integration with Apple’s Find My network, and gesture controls all suggest that the company’s next earbuds could be extremely high spec.

It’s also possible that the AirPods Pro 2 will be the first earbuds in the AirPods range to deviate from the instantly recognizable stem design, with Apple looking into more streamlined builds for its next model.

We’re very excited to see what direction Apple takes the AirPods Pro in this year. They may not be our favorite true wireless earbuds (that would be the Sony WF-1000XM4 ), but there’s no denying their popularity - and any improvements Apple can make will be most welcome.

The AirPods Pro 2 aren’t the only new headphones Apple is rumored to be launching soon. It’s been nearly two years since the AirPods Max over-ear headphones were released, and a number of new Apple patents suggest the company is looking to upgrade its first wireless over-ears.

One patent pertains to a pair of over-ear headphones with touch-sensitive housings. Unlike the AirPods Max, the headphones in the patent don’t appear to feature the Digital Crown dial that is used to control music playback.

Apple has also filed a patent for a pair of wireless earbuds that are capable of transmitting audio via an optical connection, rather than Bluetooth. This would provide the bandwidth necessary for lossless audio - and while this particular patent doesn’t mention over-ear headphones, the lack of lossless audio support is a particular sore spot for the AirPods Max. They were marketed as audiophile headphones, but users have to make do with highly compressed files that don’t offer the same level of detail as hi-res audio files - despite Apple Music coming with lossless audio content.

That would be fine if the AirPods Max could be used with a wired connection - but the lack of a 3.5mm audio port makes this impossible. We think Apple will want to address this with any future version of the AirPods Max, and unless it gives the AirPods Max 2 an audio port, optical transmission could be the way forward.

How likely it is that the AirPods Max 2 will launch in 2022 is unclear - while Apple’s patents show the company is looking into how it can improve its over-ear headphones, rumors are nowhere near as pervasive as they are for the AirPods Pro 2.

For the last four years running, Sony has released a new pair of noise-cancelling headphones in August - and it’s rumored that the company is working on the successors to its excellent Sony WH-1000XM4 wireless headphones .

A patent for what could be the Sony WH-1000XM5 has been filed. It describes a pair of noise-cancelling over-ear headphones that come with oval-shaped earcups, and what looks like a slimmer headband.

The patent also reveals a larger battery, which means the XM5 could improve upon the 38-hour battery life of their predecessors. As the patent’s confidentiality agreement is set to expire in August 2022, we’re fairly confident that the headphones described within are the next model in the WH-1000X series.

Any improvements upon the Sony WH-1000XM4 would be very exciting indeed; they’re our pick for the best headphones you can buy today, even though they launched back in 2020. However, while their excellent noise cancellation, exceptional audio quality, and brilliant features make the Sony WH-1000XM4 an easy choice for any audiophiles that want to listen to music on the go, there are a few upgrades we’d like to see for the next model.

These include support for the aptX codec, which would provide more comprehensive hi-res audio support. Right now, the XM4 come with Sony’s own LDAC codec, which can handle high-quality streams but only works with a few compatible devices.

We’d also love to see a water-resistance rating of IPX4 or above. This would allow users to wear the headphones in the rain - or while working out - without needing to worry about drizzle or sweat breaking them.

Wireless speaker giant Sonos is rumored to be working on its first pair of wireless headphones - and if the company sticks to its rigid two-products-a-year release schedule, we could see them launch in 2022.

We’ve seen a number of patents related to a pair of over-ear headphones from Sonos, and they could be the most advanced headphones we’ve ever seen if some of the features described in these patents come to fruition.

The most exciting rumored feature we’ve heard about is the ability to ‘swap’ music from a pair of Sonos headphones to Sonos speakers . That means you could be listening to music on your Sonos headphones and swiftly switch that music over to your Sonos Bluetooth speaker , whether it's part of a multi-room audio system or a standalone smart speaker like the Sonos One or the Sonos Move .

It’s a feature that works well with the Sonos Roam portable speaker; you just need to hold it close to another Sonos speaker for your music to swap between the two devices.

While most of the patents relating to a pair of Sonos headphones describe over-ear cans, it’s also possible that Sonos will launch a pair of true wireless earbuds. A patent describing two different wireless earbuds designs was revealed in May 2021, showing three options for charging cases with some novel approaches to extend playtime, including detachable battery plates.

The fact that Sonos recently acquired RHA - a company that specializes in in-ear headphones - lends credence to the idea that the first Sonos headphones will be a pair of true wireless earbuds. In any case, the company is clearly looking to branch out into more product categories, and 2022 could be the year that Sonos enters the headphones market for the first time.

Which of these headphones are most likely to launch in 2022?

Out of all of these headphones, we think the AirPods Pro 2 are the most likely to launch this year. That’s because we’ve been hearing rumors about them for about two years now, with respected analysts like Ming-Chi Kuo saying they’ll be released in late 2022.

We think the Sony WH-1000XM5 are also quite likely to launch this year, as it’s been two years since the company upgraded its flagship range of noise-cancelling headphones. Sony has been at the top of its game for a few years now, and it won’t want to be left behind by rivals like Bose, Sennheiser, and Apple.

We weren’t as confident that the first Sonos headphones would launch in 2022 until we saw a post from the company on LinkedIn , asking for ad agencies to apply to work on "one of the most ambitious projects in our history". The job listing specifies that applicants must have experience in launching a new brand/product/service in an established category, creating a new category for an established brand, and/or targeting a new audience/consumer segment.

A new category for an established brand like Sonos? That sounds like a pair of headphones to us.

The AirPods Max 2 are the least likely to launch this year. The number of patents and leaks surrounding a new pair of Apple over-ear headphones is small compared to the AirPods Pro 2, and Apple tends to take its time upgrading existing product lines. The original AirPods Max 2 launched in December 2020, so we haven’t had two full years with the noise-cancelling cans yet. In the past, Apple has upgraded models in the AirPods line every three years, so we may be waiting until very late in 2022 - or even 2023 - for the next AirPods Max headphones.

Tech Resolutions 2022: how to upgrade your year with life-boosting tech

New Year's resolutions are often dismissed as being vague, overly-ambitious delusions that are ultimately doomed to failure. But resolutions that involve tech? Well, they're a different story.

Whether you're planning to peel yourself off the sofa towards a new fitness goal, or build the ultimate hi-fi setup, our new series (running from Sunday December 26th to Sunday January 2nd) will show you how to fly through the January wastelands using your tech-based hoverboard.

Why tie your resolutions to tech? There are a couple of good reasons. Firstly, a popular strategy for building new habits is called 'temptation bundling'. In short, linking something you like ( gadgets ) to something you're less keen on (your resolution) is generally more sustainable in the long-run. Also, we're big fans of blaming our failures and shortcomings on inanimate objects.

But while Apple Watches, Chromebooks and air fryers can all be springboards to better habits (as we'll reveal in this series), new year's resolutions don't have to be about self-improvement. As our Senior Computing editor Matt Hanson convincingly argues in his commitment to doing more PC gaming in 2022, it's also a good time for tech-based self-care – particularly after the year most of us have had.

So while our guides cover how to reach classic goals using tech like Nintendo's Ring Fit , ergonomic keyboards and Pikmin Bloom, we'll also explore the more self-indulgent resolutions our team is aiming for in 2022 – like why it's finally a good time to invest in an LG OLED TV or lose yourself in VR.

Whether you're a fan of new year's resolutions or not, make sure to bookmark this page to discover how we're planning to use tech for the better in 2022 – it might just spark some ideas on how to use your new Christmas presents.

Tech Resolutions 2022:

1. How to be a Chromebook poweruser in 2022

Whether you've just unwrapped a new Chromebook over Christmas, or been wondering how to master your existing Chrome OS laptop, our guide will show you how to harness its talents and achieve 'poweruser' status.

In the computing equivalent of a couch-to-5K, we cover how to embrace the Chrome OS launcher, get the most out of tablet mode, and much more. You'll be setting productivity PBs in no time.

2. How to build the hi-fi system of your dreams

Forget health kicks – it's your home music setup that needs to hit the gym in 2022. Not sure where to start? Our in-depth guide is here to help you plan your hi-fi system, from the choosing your source through to amplification and speakers.

This new year project doesn't have to cost thousands either – we cover how to fold your existing kit into a delicious audio sponge cake, and top it off with the best cables, stands and wireless accessories.

3. How I'm going to use my air fryer to beat my January takeaway obsession

We're rapidly moving towards that time of year when ordering takeaways becomes nigh-on impossible to resist – but our Smart Home & Appliances Editor, Carrie-Ann Skinner, has pledged to beat the habit this year with a seemingly unlikely accessory.

Air fryers might not sound significantly healthier than your favorite local fried chicken wing haunt. But as you'll discover in this insightful ode to the increasingly popular kitchen staple, they are far healthier than deep frying, while also offering the speed needed to beat your takeaway habit.

4. Why I'm using Nintendo Ring Fit to achieve my New Year’s resolution

Boosting your fitness is a new year's resolution staple, but some of the classic methods like gyms aren't available to everyone – particularly if you're already struggling with injury.

In this personal account of why Nintendo Ring Fit's customizable adjustments make it the ideal fitness companion for those who have been struck down with injuries of all kinds, TechRadar's Gaming Editor Vic Hood reveals why it could be your exercise BFF in 2022.

5. Why I'm counting on Pikmin Bloom to reinvigorate my daily walks

New Year's fitness resolutions don't have to all be about HIIT workouts and ultra-marathons – getting started with a daily walk is a fine start, and TechRadar's Senior Gaming Editor Adam Vjestica is aiming to reinvigorate his strolls with a healthy dash of gamification.

Like Pokémon Go, Pikmin Bloom lets you grow a miniature army of followers, but also compels you to get outside by diarizing your walks in a charming, motivational fashion. You can even use it to record your mood each day, making it arguably the ultimate January survival tool.

6. 2021 sucked, so I’m spending 2022 in VR

While many of us are looking forward to spending our retirements in a Black Mirror-style VR utopia, TechRadar's Computing writer Jess Weatherbed has vowed get a head-start in 2022 by sinking some serious time into the Oculus Quest 2.

Sadly, it's probably not wise to spend 12 hours a day playing Beat Saber, which is why this excellent summary of the full range of VR experiences out there – from social apps like VRChat to artistic workouts like Tilt Brush – is the primer you need to help you maintain a healthy VR life this year.

7. How to build the ultimate photo backup for Adobe Lightroom or Google Photos

It's the job that photographers and videographers put off the most: creating a secure backup system for all their photos and videos.

But whether you're a pro with a bulging Adobe Lightroom library or a hobbyist who relies on Google Photos , creating a photo backup is a New Year's resolution that's well worth making in 2022 –  and James Abbott's in-depth guide is here to show you how to do it.

8. Why my new Apple Watch is the key to a better 2022 (and not just for fitness)

Over the course of 2021, Josie Watson started getting fed up with her dependence on a phone. From doomscrolling through social media to apps incessantly blasting notifications designed to trap you into an endless cycle of personalized ads wedged between posts from school friends and family members showing off engagement photos, sharing pixelated unfunny memes, or bragging about their culinary skills.

Flash forward to Josie starting at TechRadar and using a smartwatch to learn more about her anxiety . She soon realized these wearables were so much more than just a fancy timepiece.

9. Why I'm ditching my running watch in January

Much as our Fitness Editor, Cat Ellis loves her running watch , first thing in January she prefers to leave it in a drawer and head out with bare wrists.

It's not permanent, and the phone still leaves the house just in case of an emergency, but it's a great time to remind yourself that you don't need tech to enjoy running. When you allow yourself to get into the zone, the simple joy of movement is enough.

10. Screw 'healthy' New Year's resolutions – mine is to play more PC games

The last few years have been awful. This means that the New Year's resolutions we make to ourselves as we enter 2022 are more important than ever.

That's why for Senior Computing Editor, Matt Hanson, his New Year's resolution isn't telling himself to lose weight or write a novel or eat less pizza. Instead, he's going to make a promise that will do a lot more good: play more PC games .

Helpfully, we've also published a list of the top PC games for 2022 that we're looking forward to .

11. How to use your new smartwatch to do a couch to 5K

You might not be into running yet, but if you're thinking about getting in some treadmill time or going for a run in the park, know that your smartwatch can help you track your progress while offering guidance on areas to improve.

If you're a beginner, one way to feel this running thing out is by taking on a couch to 5K plan. It's the ideal way to ease yourself into a running or walking regimen. And your shiny new smartwatch can help you complete that plan - maybe even motivate you to stick to running long term too.

12. Why a gamer's New Year's resolution should be a network upgrade

The urge to upgrade is a constant one for gamers. The problem is, we don't always make the upgrades that offer the most bang for our buck. And while flashy hardware launches often pull our attention, there's little thought given to the gadgetry that supports our gaming addiction.

Gerald Lynch is talking about our network gear. Never before has the quality of our internet connections been more important to our games sessions. At a basic level, games are bigger than they've ever been, regularly topping out at over 100GB. So to even play a game in any good time requires an internet connection with a magnitude of greatness vastly exceeding what was required during the last generation.

And that's why his 2022 New Year's resolution is to give his home a full network makeover.

13. Forget cryptomining, here's how to use your computer to do good in the world

Many of us still leave our computers idling all night for one reason or another, and you might be tempted to use that idle time for something productive.

Instead of mining cryptocurrency, though, there are plenty of ways to use that idle computer time for a good cause, rather than setting the planet on fire to help venture capitalists who got in on the ground floor of bitcoin get even more obscenely rich than they already are.

14. 7 pet-friendly ways tech can keep your pal happy and healthy in 2022

Maybe a simple toy isn't quite enough for your furry pal these days?

If you want to really improve your furry friend's life you're going to need some of the best pet tech around, and whether you're feeding them, keeping them entertained, or making sure they're not getting up to no good while you're out of the house, we've got some top tips.

And lots of pictures of dogs.

15. Why an ergonomic keyboard has been my best home office upgrade

The new year is always awash with talk of self-care, and what could be better than caring for your poor wrists? Ergonomic accessories allow you to write, work and browse with less discomfort, and many on the TechRadar team swear by them – but they're often sidelined compared to the attention given to your monitor, desk, and chair.

Here we make our case for why ergonomic keyboards and mice shouldn't be overlooked.

16. 2022 is the year I buy an LG OLED TV, promise

If you don't already have a tech resolution, may be we suggest the classic: "treat yo self"?

That's what our News & Features Editor Henry St Leger is promising to do, as they've decided they're going to buy an LG OLED - and an article about it in TechRadar is about as binding a contract as it gets, so we're expecting lots of viewing parties soon.

Find out exactly why LG, why OLED, and why 48 inches, in our final tech resolution article.

Fujifilm cameras get first ever Sigma lenses, but more exciting ones are en route

Sigma's long-rumored debut lenses for Fujifilm cameras have finally landed, with the X-Mount getting a new trio of affordable primes – although the manufacturer has confirmed that other lenses are en route.

As expected, all three lenses are existing designs that have been adapted for Fujifilm cameras like the Fujifilm X-T4 and Fujifilm X-S10 . The three lenses are the Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary, 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary, and 56mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary, with all three available to buy from April. Sigma has also confirmed on its website that the 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN Contemporary is "under development" for X-Mount.

So who are its new lenses for? The 16mm f/1.4 DC DN works has a full-frame equivalent focal length of 24mm, making it ideal for everything from street photography to landscapes. Sigma's 30mm f/1.4 DC DN, meanwhile, offers a 45mm focal length that provides a view of the world that's closest to the human eye.

The most interesting of the three lenses for portrait photographers, though, is the 56mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary. That creates a mid-telephoto equivalent of an 84mm focal length which, when combined with its fast aperture, should throw backgrounds nicely out of focus and produce some attractive bokeh.

The price tags of all three lenses also compares favorably to existing X-mount offerings. The Sigma 16mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary costs $374 / £359 (around AU$680), with the 30mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary coming in at an affordable $264 / £289 (about AU$550) and the 56mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary arriving for a tempting $404 / £379 (around AU$720).

Naturally, those affordable price tags also brings a few downsides. None of Sigma's new lenses are weather-sealed, and they also all lack one signature feature of Fujifilm lenses: an aperture ring. These help give Fujifilm cameras a trademark shooting experience, but this could be something photographers and videographers are prepared to overlook in return for the good value that Sigma's new lenses appear to offer.

Analysis: Fujifilm cameras broaden their appeal

The Fujifilm X-series, which turned ten years old this year, has traditionally been a closed system with a very specific appeal, but it's now branching out in an effort to attract new fans.

The Fujifilm X-S10 was the first sign of a change of approach, with the camera adopting the PASM (Program, Aperture, Shutter Speed, Manual) control system that's favored by other manufacturers, rather than the dial-heavy design seen on most other X-series cameras.

And the arrival Sigma's first lenses for the X-mount is another symbolic moment for the mirrorless system. We've seen third-party lenses for Fujifilm cameras before, but not many with autofocus – and Sigma's offerings will likely be popular thanks to their combination of proven quality and affordable price tags.

But the three primes announced today are also unlikely to be the first Sigma lenses that hardcore Fuji fans would have wanted to see come to the system. The X-Series is already quite well-stocked for prime lenses of that type – for example, Fuji already offers a classic XF56mm f/1.2 R, XF50mm f/2 R WR  and newer XF50mm f/1.0 R WR, which could compete with Sigma's 56mm f/1.4 DC DN.

Sigma has other, like the Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN (above) and its 'Art' series, which cover focal lengths and styles that aren't as well covered by Fuji's own lenses. Sigma has now confirmed that the 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN is in development for the X-Mount, but in a Fuji Rumors poll , two 'Art' lenses – the Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art and 50-100mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art – came out on top as the options that its readers wanted to see come to the X-Mount.

Still, it's likely that Sigma is using these three new lenses to test the waters of the X-Mount, and affordable prime lenses of that kind are likely to sell better than more exotic options that may not suit Fujifilm cameras as well as rival mounts from the likes of Sony and Canon.