A new Walkman codenamed NW-ZX900 leaks with a bigger battery, Full HD display, Android 16 and a likely premium price around ¥210,000 in Japan.
Sony’s Walkman lineup might be getting a premium new member. A leak points to the NW-ZX900, a successor to the ZX707, with a Full HD display, Android 16, 8GB RAM and microSD expansion. Battery life is claimed to reach up to 40 hours of MP3 playback and 30 hours of streaming.
Price in Japan is tipped around ¥210,000 (about $1,330), with a rumored November release. There’s no official confirmation yet. If the NW-ZX900 arrives in the US, UK or Canada, expect a pricier, niche product aimed at serious audio fans.
Sony fans might need to brace for a pricier, feature-packed Walkman. A leak points to the NW-ZX900, a successor to the ZX707 that would bring a handful of notable upgrades and a higher price tag. The Walkman Blog published images and spec details from what it calls the expected next model, though Sony has not confirmed any plans.
What the leak says matters because it hints at how Sony sees the high-end audio player market today, focusing on better battery life, a sharper screen, and newer software. If true, the NW-ZX900 would aim at enthusiasts who still value dedicated portable music players alongside phones, especially those who care about audio processing and offline listening without compromise.
Key upgrades in the leak include a jump to a Full HD five-inch display, an Android 16 operating system, and a memory boost to 8GB of RAM. Internal storage would stay at 64GB but with microSD expansion likely, which is important for anyone collecting large lossless music libraries. Battery life is claimed to reach up to 40 hours of MP3 playback at 128kbps and about 30 hours while streaming, which would be a meaningful improvement over the ZX707’s quoted figures.
On the chassis, the NW-ZX900 is said to keep an aluminum body, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a high-end output option (4.4mm balanced). The design language and connector choices would be familiar to Walkman fans, but with a heavier frame, about 52% heavier than the ZX707, if the numbers in the leak are accurate. The dimensions are listed as roughly 139.8 by 77.2 by 17.5 millimeters and a weight of 345 grams.
Price and timing in the leak point at roughly ¥210,000 in Japan, which translates to about $1,330 by rough market standards. That would be a steep jump over most of Sony’s earlier Walkman models and notably higher than mass-market music players. The leak also suggests a possible November release window, but again, there’s no official confirmation from Sony yet.
What this means for readers in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada
Right now, there’s no confirmation the NW-ZX900 will arrive outside Japan, or when. If Sony brings it here, expect a premium price and a niche audience that wants a dedicated high-res audio player beyond a smartphone. If you’re happy with streaming, a mid-range player or your current phone is likely plenty. If you’re chasing top-tier audio quality on the go, and you don’t mind a larger device and a higher price, this could be one to watch, pending official word.
Leaked specs don’t guarantee a global launch. Sony has previously launched Walkmans in select markets, often with similar core features but different timing and pricing. If the NW-ZX900 makes it abroad, expect the same core upgrades, better display, more RAM, richer audio tech, but pricing will likely vary by country and local taxes.
If the ¥210,000 estimate holds, the NW-ZX900 would sit in premium territory. For comparison, that would put it in the same general price band as other high-end audio players in some markets, and well above mid-range Walkmans. Whether Sony formalizes a US price, and at what point, remains to be seen.
We’ll need an official announcement from Sony to confirm specs, price and release timing. If Sony does reveal the NW-ZX900, we’ll translate the details into what it means for everyday listening, battery life in real-world use, and how it stacks up against both older Walkman models and newer portable audio gear.
Will the NW-ZX900 come to the US?
There’s no confirmation yet. Sony hasn’t announced international availability even if the model exists in leaks.
How much will it cost?
The leak suggests around ¥210,000 in Japan, roughly $1,330, but exact US/UK/Canada prices are unknown until Sony speaks up.
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