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This week in tech, all eyes were on OpenAI as Scarlett Johansson published a public statement alleging that the company mimicked her voice for ChatGPT, an allegation CEO Sam Altman denied.
On the product side, Leica launched the compact, versatile camera, the Leica D-Lux 8. Sonos, meanwhile, made its long-awaited debut in the headphones space with the over-ear Sonos Ace.
Spotify also caught some flack when it announced that it would be scrapping its Car Thing entertainment console attachment, not merely discontinuing the device but making all existing Car Things completely unusable.
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 is building out its D-Lux lineup with the new Leica D-Lux 8. The compact camera comes with a 4/3” CMOS sensor with 21 MP, billed for both amateur photographers and professionals alike.
While the camera features a vintage aesthetic, it’s surprisingly cutting-edge, and compatible with the Leica FOTOS app. It also comes with a Summilux 10.9–34 mm f/1.7–2.8 ASPH lens, ideal for those who want a fast aperture and the ability to zoom in while retaining image clarity.
Priced at $1,840 USD, the Leica D-Lux 8 will be available online and in stores on July 2.
Spotify
Spotify is doing away with its Car Thing. The brick-like music streaming device essentially acts as a plug-in entertainment center for cars that don’t already have one, albeit its only purpose is to navigate the Spotify app.
Car Thing was launched in February 2022 but production of the hardware ceased less than a year later. The streaming service is now scrapping Car Thing entirely by making it unusable – Car Things will no longer be functional by December.
“We understand it may be disappointing, but this decision allows us to focus on developing new features and enhancements that will ultimately provide a better experience to all Spotify users,” the company said in an FAQ, also noting that they “recommend resetting your Car Thing to factory settings and safely disposing of your device following local electronic waste guidelines.”
Sonos
After upwards of 20 years in the audio industry, Sonos has rolled out its first ever pair of headphones. It’s hard to believe one of the leading smart audio manufacturers has been around for so long without dipping into the headphones space, making the launch of the Sonos Ace long overdue.
The minimalist, lightweight headphones are fittingly described by the brand as offering “the most precise and immersive home theater experience possible.” Arriving in black and white colorways, the high-resolution headphones can be folded into a compact configuration for convenient storage and pack a 30-hour battery life.
The new Sonos Ace headphones will officially be up for sale on June 5 and are priced at $449 USD.
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Scarlett Johansson shared a public statement in which she alleges that OpenAI mimicked her voice for ChatGPT’s “Sky” assistant. The actress said that CEO Sam Altman had approached her back in September to be the voice of ChatGPT 4.0, but that she decided to turn down the opportunity. When the assistant was released, however, many automatically assumed the voice belonged to Johansson.
“When I heard the released demo, I was shocked, angered and in disbelief that Mr. Altman would pursue a voice that sounded so eerily similar to mine that my closest friends and news outlets could not tell the difference,” she wrote.
Although OpenAI eventually agreed to take the voice down, the actress said “was forced to hire legal counsel” who wrote letters to Altman and the OpenAI asking them how they created the voice of Sky. Altman responded to the situation, telling The Verge that the company used a voice actor to record Sky and that the voice wasn’t intended to resemble Johansson’s own.
