Originally set to start shipping in the middle of this month, Malaysian delivery of the Sony WF-1000XM4 has been pushed back to August. According to Sony Malaysia, the current Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) in KL and Selangor has delayed the delivery of the wireless earbuds.

This was announced by Sony Malaysia on its Facebook page. According to the post, the new delivery estimate is set to begin on 16 August now, so it could be delayed further – especially if the current EMCO is extended.

Anyway, what makes the WF-1000XM4 particularly interesting is its active noise cancellation (ANC). It is said to be the best in the market now for a pair of wireless earbuds, thanks to a new V1 chip. On top of that, even with ANC activated, the XM4 can last up to eight hours on a single charge – two more hours than its predecessor’s quoted battery life.

In terms of sound quality, the WF-1000XM4 now supports high-resolution audio courtesy of LDAC, so it should be able to deliver better audio quality. On top of that, the WH-1000XM4‘s “Speak-to-Chat” feature has been implemented to these wireless earbuds too. Basically, when you start speaking, it will automatically let in ambient sound.

Other noteworthy features of the WF-1000XM4 include IPX4 water resistance – you can use it for your workouts or in the rain without issue – as well as a 40% smaller charging case. The case supports wireless charging, and it can fully charge the earbuds twice, giving you effectively 24 hours of battery life in total.

The Sony WF-1000XM4 is still available for pre-order in Malaysia at the time of writing; it’s estimated to start shipping from 16 August onwards. Retailing at RM1,099, it is exactly RM150 more costly than its predecessor, but you do get a number of improvements with the new WF-1000XM4.