Tech News Wrap
Tech News Wrap is our column where we highlight and summarize some of the week’s top stories so you can catch up on the latest tech news.
This is Android Central’s Tech News Wrap, your go-to source for a concise roundup of the week’s most significant tech stories. This is where we delve into the top headlines that provide the latest developments and innovations contributing to the digital landscape.
Now getting back to business, this week was pretty eventful in the tech space with Apple teaming up with Google for Gemini, Verizon’s widespread outage, OnePlus CEO Pete Lau facing an arrest warrant in Taiwan, an Android 17 leak, and the Pixel 10a possibly arriving sooner than expected.
Apple needs Gemini for Siri
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Apple and Google are kicking off 2026 with a major announcement that could essentially rewrite the rules of the AI race. The companies have entered a multi-year collaboration that will put Gemini at the core of Apple’s next generation of phones. This collaboration is also set to power Apple’s intelligence features, including a more intuitive and personalized Siri later this year.
In a joint statement, the companies announced this move officially via X on the News from Google profile. After what is described as “careful evaluation,” Apple decided that “Google’s AI technology provides the most capable foundation, and is excited about the innovative new experiences it will unlock for Apple users.” For Google, this is a massive milestone, as Gemini will now become a platform that not only powers AI on Android but also Apple’s AI future.
Verizon’s network struck out for thousands
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This week, Verizon users faced an unprecedented outage that they didn’t see coming. Leaving hundreds of thousands across the country with SOS-only status bars and dropped calls, on January 14.
At its peak, there were over 170,000 people from major areas like New York, Nevada, Florida, Las Vegas, and Texas who could not make calls, send texts, or use mobile data on Verizon’s network, and had no access to the network’s status page as well.
People took to X and Reddit to vent, and Verizon posted a statement on its official X account, saying it is “aware of an issue impacting wireless voice and data services for some customers” and that engineers are working to find and fix the problem.
After being down for several hours, around 10:15 PM on January 14, 2026, Verizon confirmed that the outage had been resolved. The company said users who were experiencing issues may need to restart their devices to reconnect to the network. And those affected customers are eligible to receive $20 in account credit.
OnePlus CEO faces an arrest in Taiwan
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Taiwanese authorities have issued an arrest warrant for OnePlus CEO Pete Lau, alleging that he illegally hired over 70 engineers since 2014. Prosecutors have also reportedly indicted two Taiwanese engineers connected to the same case.
While geopolitical tensions between Taiwan and China remain high, China has to comply with Taiwan’s Cross-Strait Act, which prohibits Chinese companies from conducting business or hiring employees in Taiwan without explicit government approval. OnePlus, a Chinese OEM, allegedly did not obtain such approval, leading to the arrest warrant being issued against Lau.
The allegation is that OnePlus set up a shell company in Hong Kong under a different name and then established a branch in Taiwan in 2015 without government authorization.
Android 17 could revamp your Quick settings
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A new Android 17 leak dropped this week, giving us a look at the supposed revamp of Quick Settings. And according to ardent tipster Mystic Leaks, Google could be planning a split layout for notifications and toggles, potentially enhancing usability for Pixel users. This would make the menu look a lot cleaner, more organized, and split instead of one large pull-down for everything.
This means that swiping from the left edge would show only notifications, while swiping from the right would bring up Quick Settings, neat right? That said, for Pixel users, this change seems to be optional. You’ll probably be able to go to Settings > Notifications and switch between the classic “Combined” view and the new “Separate” layout.
Google’s budget Pixel 10a could launch very soon
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Google’s mid-range Pixel, or the a-series device, usually arrives around April. However, a recent rumor indicated that a launch window for the Pixel 10a is in February. Quandt’s BlueSky posts claims that Google is preparing to launch the mid-range model in “mid-February.”
Alternatively, DroidLife highlighted with its own research that it discovered retail listings with “similar details.” The publication took it a step further, stating that the Pixel 10a could see a specific launch date of February 17, 2026 (that’s a Tuesday, in case you’re wondering).
Quandt’s also leaked some last-minute specs of the Pixel 10a, suggesting the phone will debut with 128GB and 256GB storage options, and colorways like Obsidian, Fog, Lavender, and Berry.
More stories this week
Those are some of the biggest stories from this week. Meanwhile, here are some other stories that are worth catching up on:
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