https://techcrunch.com/2022/05/18/sony-delivers-a-killer-new-pair-of-earbuds/

Surprise! While we were all (understandably) preoccupied with the latest addition to Sony’s excellent over-ear headphones, the LinkBuds S managed to mostly fly under the radar. This likely happened for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the company’s confusing naming scheme. It’s not clear where the new earbuds slot in at first blush.

The short answer is: smack in the middle of Sony’s growing lineup of fully wireless buds. The standard LinkBuds sit at the low end at (a still not cheap) $180. At the high end are the great, but pricey WF1000XM4, which retail for exactly $100 more. The breakdown, this far, is fairly straightforward. The M4 are a truly premium set of earbuds at a truly premium price. The LinkBuds, meanwhile, have a giant hole in the center that’s designed to improve situational awareness.