Sony updates its WH-1000XM6 wireless headphones with new features aimed at gaming and communication. Multiple reports say the update reduces one of the main annoyances in Bluetooth gaming: audio latency. The added capability is described as Bluetooth GMAP support, which enables lower-latency audio for gaming when supported by the device that the headphones are connected to. Both sources indicate the update also improves voice chat performance, though the details of how voice chat changes are described more generally than the gaming-latency feature.
The gaming benefit is not universal. Digital Trends notes that the lower-latency mode works only if the connected phone, PC, tablet, or handheld also supports the required standard. In other words, users may need compatible hardware on top of installing the update on the headphones. Android Authority similarly frames the update as addressing a major Bluetooth gaming annoyance and positioning the WH-1000XM6 as more usable with gaming setups without forcing users into traditional latency-prone gaming headsets.
