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January 2026 marked a significant restructuring of the global technology landscape, defined primarily by Apple’s decision to integrate Google’s Gemini model into Siri and the operational separation of TikTok’s U.S. division. Alongside these platform shifts, the semiconductor and consumer electronics sectors saw major developments at CES, while legacy manufacturer Sony announced a strategic pivot in its television business through a joint venture with TCL.
Key Points
- Apple Partners with Google: The iPhone maker officially selected Google Gemini to power Siri’s next-generation AI features, signaling a shift in its proprietary AI strategy.
- TikTok USDS Spin-off: TikTok’s U.S. Data Security division has become a separate entity, resulting in reported algorithmic glitches and upload errors as data migrates to Oracle servers.
- CES 2026 Hardware: The event emphasized practical robotics and new silicon, including Intel’s Panther Lake and Nvidia’s Vero Rubin data center chips.
- Sony TV Restructuring: Sony is moving its television manufacturing into a joint venture controlled 51% by TCL, aiming to combine Sony’s image processing with TCL’s production efficiency.
Apple Leverages Gemini for Siri Overhaul
In a move that reshapes the mobile AI market, Apple confirmed in mid-January that it has chosen Google’s Gemini platform to underpin the intelligence of its voice assistant, Siri. While full integration is expected in the upcoming iOS update, the partnership suggests Apple is prioritizing immediate functionality over proprietary foundation model development for consumer-facing features.
Industry observers note that while Apple will continue to utilize its own foundational models for on-device tasks and private data handling, Gemini will handle broader queries and complex reasoning tasks. This hybrid approach mirrors Apple's strategy with iCloud, where the company relies on third-party infrastructure like AWS to support its services while maintaining a seamless user interface.
Simultaneously, leaks regarding a potential "wearable smart pin" from Apple have surfaced. Analysts interpret this as a defensive maneuver against OpenAI’s hardware ambitions and the recruitment of former Apple designer Jony Ive.
TikTok USDS Separation Causes User Friction
The formal spin-off of TikTok’s U.S. operations into a separate entity, known as TikTok USDS, has resulted in tangible performance issues for American users. The restructuring was designed to satisfy regulatory concerns by housing all U.S. data and algorithms on Oracle servers, completely isolating them from the company's global infrastructure.
Reports of upload failures, captioning bugs, and repetitive algorithmic recommendations have spiked throughout January. These technical hurdles are attributed to the complexity of retraining the recommendation algorithm exclusively on U.S. data without access to the global network.
"The algorithm is retrained on U.S. data and all of the stories of TikTok not working... have to do with the fact that it's a whole different situation when you actually cut off the algorithm from the rest of TikTok and retrain it. That is a really hard thing to do."
Notably, international users and the TikTok Shop commerce platform—which remains under the purview of TikTok global—have not experienced similar disruptions, isolating the issues to the newly formed USDS entity.
CES 2026: Silicon and Practical Robotics
While the Consumer Electronics Show often focuses on futuristic concepts, the 2026 exhibition highlighted immediate advancements in computing power and domestic automation. Major semiconductor manufacturers utilized the event to launch critical infrastructure products, with Intel’s Panther Lake and AMD’s new Ryzen lineup receiving strong critical reception. Nvidia continued its dominance in the enterprise sector with the launch of the Vero Rubin data center chip.
In consumer hardware, the focus shifted toward functional home robotics. Manufacturers such as LG and Switchbot demonstrated robots capable of complex household tasks, including folding laundry and kitchen assistance, moving beyond the prototype stage seen in previous years.
Sony and TCL Form Joint Venture
In a significant shift for the home theater market, Sony announced it will transfer its television manufacturing operations to a joint venture in which TCL holds a 51% controlling interest. Under the agreement, Sony will license its "Bravia" brand and proprietary image processing technologies to the new entity.
This strategy aims to leverage TCL’s economies of scale and panel manufacturing efficiency while retaining the premium quality associated with Sony’s engineering. The move mirrors trends in the gaming controller market, where third-party manufacturers have closed the quality gap with first-party peripherals.
"TCL has cracked the ability to make a really good television that may not be inexpensive but is still less expensive than an equivalent television... Sony is saying we can't continue to make TVs at a level that satisfies our own internal metrics [without this partnership]."
Looking ahead to February, the industry will be watching the stability of the TikTok USDS platform and waiting for the first beta releases of Apple’s Gemini-powered iOS to evaluate the depth of the integration.
