![\"News](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/ng73Y3TETK3RC5fgZQJrpG.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\nTech News Wrap<\/p>\n
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(Image credit: Future)<\/p>\n
Tech News Wrap<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Before we get into it, Android Central is inviting readers to share their perspectives through a brief survey aimed at enhancing our content<\/a>, with a chance to win a $250 Amazon gift card for your feedback.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Now getting back to business, this week was pretty eventful in the tech space with Apple<\/a> teaming up with Google for Gemini<\/a>, 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.<\/p>\n You may like<\/p>\n Apple needs Gemini for Siri<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Apple)<\/p>\n Read more here<\/a><\/p>\n Apple<\/a> 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<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n In a joint statement, the companies announced this move officially<\/a> 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<\/a>.<\/p>\n Verizon’s network struck out for thousands<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Verizon)<\/p>\n Read more here<\/a><\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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\u2019s network, and had no access to the network’s status page as well.<\/p>\n People took to X<\/a> and Reddit<\/a> to vent, and Verizon posted a statement on its official X account, saying it is \u201caware of an issue impacting wireless voice and data services for some customers\u201d and that engineers are working to find and fix the problem.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n OnePlus CEO faces an arrest in Taiwan<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: OnePlus)<\/p>\n Read more here<\/a><\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n While geopolitical tensions between Taiwan and China remain high, China has to comply with Taiwan’s Cross-Strait Act<\/a>, 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Android 17 could revamp your Quick settings<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Mystic Leaks \/ Telegram)<\/p>\n Read more here<\/a><\/p>\n A new Android 17<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n 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\u2019ll probably be able to go to Settings > Notifications and switch between the classic “Combined” view and the new “Separate” layout.<\/p>\n Google’s budget Pixel 10a could launch very soon<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Android Central)<\/p>\n Read more here<\/a><\/p>\n 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<\/a> is in February. Quandt’s BlueSky posts claims that Google is preparing to launch the mid-range model in “mid-February.”<\/p>\n 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).<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n![\"Apple](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/cUjcwsMsSmhRDdURybst2D.png\")
\n<\/p>\n![\"Verizon\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AJV22JdvYHQxbnbhJtgfK3.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n![\"OnePlus](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/a6J8as28rVRSRwowGeKd6d.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n![\"Quick](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/xXqkUTUrLj2n4TNVKCoc39.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/JvHZSo8pjw9StxB5jkVXmn.jpg\")
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