Sony Walkman NW-ZX900: Major Upgrades in New Audio Player

Key Takeaways

1. Sony’s NW-A306 and NW-ZX707 models are nearing their third anniversary, with a new version for the NW-ZX707 expected soon.
2. Geekbench listings suggest the upcoming NW-ZX900 series will replace the NW-ZX707, bypassing the ZX800 model.
3. The new Walkman models will feature Android 16, while current models support only up to Android 14.
4. Upgrades will include an increase in RAM from 4 GB to 8 GB and a new octa-core processor.
5. Potential chipsets for the NW-ZX900 series include Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 or Snapdragon 7s Gen 3, with speculation of collaboration with Qualcomm’s Dragonwing division.

The Sony Walkman NW-A306 and NW-ZX707, currently priced at $648 on Amazon, are nearing their third anniversary since their release in January 2023. Historically, Sony has usually waited about four years before introducing new models of its Android-based Walkmans. However, early signs suggest that a new version, at least for the NW-ZX707, might be just around the corner.

New Models on the Horizon

At present, we have access to a handful of Geekbench listings that provide some insight. These listings indicate that Sony is likely to introduce the NW-ZX900 series to replace the NW-ZX707, bypassing the ZX800 model in the process, similar to what happened with the ZX600 series. Additionally, it appears there will be significant improvements in both hardware and software for the Walkman ZX lineup.

Upgrades and Features

Interestingly, all Geekbench results show that the upcoming devices will come with Android 16, while the current NW-A306 and NW-ZX707 only support up to Android 14. Moreover, these listings hint at an upgrade in RAM from 4 GB to 8 GB. They also mention an octa-core processor known as ‘volcano,’ which is identified as ARM implementer 65 architecture 8 variant 0 part 3457 revision 1.

Potential Chipset Choices

Reports suggest that with an Adreno 810 GPU, Sony may have opted for either the Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 or the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 for the NW-ZX900 series. Nevertheless, the clock speeds indicated do not align with those of the mentioned chipsets. This leads us to believe that Sony might once again be collaborating with Qualcomm’s Dragonwing division, similar to how it did with the NW-A306 and NW-ZX707 through the QCS4290. However, Qualcomm has yet to provide information about any related chipsets on its website.

Source:
Link