New Feature Allows Users to Change @gmail.com Address - DTH

The White House has finalized a landmark trade agreement with Taiwan to bolster domestic semiconductor manufacturing, while Google has simultaneously launched a long-requested update allowing users to modify their primary email addresses. These developments, occurring on Friday, January 16, 2026, mark a significant shift in both macroeconomic technology policy and consumer digital identity management.

Key Points

• Semiconductor Trade Deal: The US and Taiwan have agreed on a combined investment package totaling $500 billion to reshore semiconductor, energy, and AI production.
• Gmail Flexibility: Google now permits users to change their personal email addresses while retaining all saved data and maintaining the old address as an alias.
• Media Consolidation: Netflix has committed to a 45-day theatrical window to mitigate antitrust concerns regarding its proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery.
• Hardware Supply: ASUS clarified that RTX 50-series cards face supply constraints due to AI memory costs, retracting earlier claims of discontinuation.
• Platform Policies: Meta is sunsetting the standalone Workrooms app, while YouTube is relaxing monetization restrictions on sensitive topics.

Major Shifts in Trade and Media

In a move designed to reduce reliance on foreign supply chains, the White House administration finalized a sweeping trade deal with Taiwan. The agreement necessitates that Taiwanese firms invest $250 billion directly, supplemented by an additional $250 billion in credit guarantees, across the US semiconductor, energy, and AI sectors. Conversely, the US has committed an undisclosed sum to Taiwan’s defense and technology industries.

This deal addresses a critical vulnerability: the administration cites the current 10% domestic manufacturing rate as a significant "economic and national security risk."

Simultaneously, the media landscape faces potential consolidation as Netflix proceeds with its controversial bid for Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD). The acquisition is complicated by a rival bid from Paramount Skydance and opposition from theater owners. In response to industry backlash, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos clarified the company’s stance on theatrical releases.

"Sarandos sought to ease fears, committing to a 45-day theatrical window, contradicting earlier reports of 17 days. He also clarified his past 'outmoded' comment, stating that it referred only to audiences lacking local theaters."

Despite these concessions, groups like Cinema United continue to lobby Congress, arguing that a single streaming entity could monopolize the market.

Consumer Technology and Hardware Updates

For individual users, Google is rolling out a feature that fundamentally changes how Google Accounts operate. Users can now change their personal @gmail.com address. The system automatically converts the old address into an alias, ensuring mail delivery continues for both addresses and that all saved data remains intact. To prevent abuse, Google has implemented a 12-month moratorium on creating new aliases after a change.

In the hardware sector, ASUS issued a correction regarding the status of its RTX 5060 Ti 16GB and 5070 Ti GPUs. Following an initial statement to Hardware Unboxed that suggested these cards were discontinued, ASUS released a press release clarifying that the products are not in "end-of-life" status. Instead, the company pointed to temporary supply issues driven by memory constraints—a direct result of the ongoing AI hardware boom driving up component costs.

Platform Policy and Security Risks

Digital platforms are adjusting their operational strategies and safety protocols. Meta confirmed it will discontinue its standalone Workrooms app on February 16, 2026, shifting functionality to the Horizon platform as part of a broader cost-cutting strategy within its Reality Labs division. Meanwhile, YouTube has updated its "ad-friendly" guidelines, allowing creators to earn full revenue when discussing topics such as abortion or self-harm, provided the content is non-graphic.

On the security front, researchers at KU Leuven discovered "WhisperPair," a vulnerability in the Google Fast Pair protocol affecting Sony and Anker devices. This flaw allows attackers to intercept audio or, in severe cases involving Pixel Buds Pro 2, potentially link the device to a different Google account.

As 2026 progresses, the technology sector awaits the regulatory verdict on the Netflix-WBD merger and the tangible economic impacts of the US-Taiwan semiconductor investments.