Meta Launched the “Meta Verified” Badge Program and Images of an iPhone 15 Pro With USB-C Port Leaked Online in This Week’s Tech Roundup

This week, the tech industry saw new products from the likes of Leica, Sony and more. The camera company rang in a momentous anniversary for the James Bond franchise with a limited-run model, while Sony shared a new take on over-ear noise-canceling headphones.

Meta, meanwhile, announced that it’ll be rolling out a subscription badge service of its own that sounds a lot like Twitter Blue. And at Apple, an insider leaked images that appear to show the allegedly forthcoming Apple iPhone 15 Pro with a USB-C Port, following the passing of a law in the EU that requires all phones to have one.

Below, HYPEBEAST has rounded up the top tech stories of the week so you can stay up to date on trends in the industry.

Leica Celebrated 60 Years of ‘James Bond’ With the D-Lux 7 007 Edition

Leica rang in the 60th anniversary of the James Bond franchise with a special edition camera. The limited D-Lux 7 007 Edition features all of the camera’s high-performance technical details, along with a few Bond-specific personalizations.

Covering the compact camera’s Leica DC Vario-Summilux lens is a unique lens cap engraved with the gun-barrel design straight from the opening sequence of the Bond films. The model comes packaged in a one-of-a-kind camera case that emulates a sleek leather gun holster. Retailing for $2,113 USD, the D-Lux 7 007 Edition is available in-store globally and online.

Sony Debuted a New Mid-Range Headphone Model Offering Active Noise Cancellation

Sony is offering a cheaper alternative to its WH-1000XM4 flagship headphones with the all-new WH-CH720N. Priced at $149.99 USD, the CH720N utilizes the same V1 processor as its predecessor, as well as its advanced noise canceling technology and 35 hours of battery life on a single charge.

The pair also weighs only 6-oz, Sony’s lightest head band to date, making the CH720N convenient to wear at the gym or while running errands on the go. The CH720N is available in black, blue and white colorways at Sony and other authorized retailers beginning Spring 2023.

An Unopened First Generation Apple iPhone Sold for $63,356 USD at Auction

An unopened First Generation Apple iPhone has sold at auction for $63,356 USD. After beginning at a starting bid of $2,500 USD, with an anticipated sale of around $50,000 USD, the iPhone went on to go for the highest price a First Generation model has sold for in history.

The first ever iPhone was launched by Steve Jobs in 2007 and retailed for $599 USD. This particular model previously belonged to Karen Green, a cosmetic tattoo artist from New Jersey, who had received the iPhone as a gift but never opened it.

Meta Announced Its “Meta Verified” Service for Instagram and Facebook

Meta seems to be taking note from Twitter’s much-disputed Twitter Blue. The company has shared that it’ll be launching its own version of an insider subscription service, Meta Verified, a badge that authenticates the identity of an account.

“New product announcement: this week we’re starting to roll out ‘Meta Verified,’ a subscription service that lets you verify your account with a government ID, get a blue badge, get extra impersonation protection against accounts claiming to be you, and get direct access to customer support,” Mark Zuckerberg announced on his Instagram Story.

The Meta Verified subscription service will roll out first in Australia and New Zealand this week.

A Leaked Image Showed the Apple iPhone 15 Pro USB-C Port

A leaked image of the Apple iPhone 15 Pro featuring a USB-C port has surfaced online. The leak follows a new law passed in the EU that requires all mobile phones, tablets, and cameras sold include a USB-C charging port, effective by the end of 2024.

The image was shared by Apple insider Unknownz21, and also shows a body made out of a different titanium encasing.