Techmeme
January 5, 2026, 1:15 PM

Top News

Hyunjoo Jin / Reuters:
Samsung co-CEO TM Roh says the company has rolled out Gemini AI features to ~400M mobile devices so far and aims to hit 800M in 2026; Samsung's stock jumps 5%+  —  Samsung Electronics plans to double this year the number of its mobile devices with “Galaxy AI” features largely powered by Google's Gemini …
Chris Welch / Bloomberg:
Samsung updates its TVs to add new AI features, including a Sound Controller feature that independently adjusts the volume of dialogue, music, or sound effects  —  Samsung Electronics Co. unveiled its 2026 home theater lineup, aiming to cement its position as the leading TV maker amid intensifying competition …
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge:
Samsung adds AI features to its Family Hub refrigerators, such as Bixby voice control to open and close the door and Gemini-powered AI Vision to track inventory  —  Voice control opening and closing comes to Samsung's Family Hub smart fridges. … Samsung's latest update …
Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
Amazon unveils a Fire TV UI redesign with rounded corners, 20 app slots, and Alexa+ built in, and launches a $899+ Ember Artline TV series with colorful frames  —  Amazon is rolling out a Fire TV redesign that puts more focus on the content, while also simplifying the navigation and layout.
Terrence O'Brien / The Verge:
Amazon launches Alexa+ in early access for all users via a new Alexa.com web interface, after launching on Echo, and lets users upload docs, emails, and images  —  Anyone can sign up and chat with Amazon's new AI assistant in their browser. … Alexa Plus was already popping up online …
Jake Roach / Tom's Hardware:
Katie Collins / CNET:
Qualcomm unveils the Dragonwing IQ10 Series, a full-stack robotics architecture integrating hardware, software, and AI for industrial and consumer humanoids  —  A new wave of humanoids are coming.  Qualcomm is ready to power them.  —  It might be a little early to declare 2026 the year …
Terrence O'Brien / The Verge:
Google plans to add Nano Banana and Veo support into Gemini on Google TV, letting users generate AI videos, modify family photos, and more, first on TCL TVs  —  You'll also be able to ask for custom ‘deep dives’ on subjects, complete with narration and interactive elements.
Samantha Kelly / Bloomberg:
Lyte, founded by ex-Apple Face ID engineers, emerges from stealth and raised ~$107M to develop tech to help robots see better and move more safely in the world  —  Top members of the team behind Apple Inc.'s Face ID are launching a startup to develop technology to help robots see better and move more safely in the world around them.
More: MacDailyNews
Satya Nadella / sn scratchpad:
Satya Nadella says the tech industry needs to move past “slop vs sophistication” arguments and view AI as a “cognitive amplifier”, not a human substitute  —  As I reflect on the past year and look toward the one ahead, there's no question 2026 will be a pivotal year for AI.

Sponsor Posts

Okara:
Meet Okara, the AI platform that doesn't train on your data  —  Chat with 30+ open-source models (Llama, Kimi, Qwen, DeepSeek) through encrypted infrastructure.  Used by teams handling proprietary code and strategy.
Soxton:
AI-powered law for startups  —  Soxton automates startup legal so founders can move faster and sleep better.  We handle incorporation, advisor, employment and commercial contracts.  Join the waitlist for early access!
Zoho:
Saudi Arabia's data localisation era: Why compliance-ready clouds are now essential  —  Saudi Arabia is in a key phase in its digital transformation, where data governance, cybersecurity, and digital sovereignty are as vital as innovation.
IDrive:
Protecting your Cloud Applications Data  —  Backing up Office 365, Google Workspace, Dropbox & Salesforce data is critical to preventing data loss or corruption, complying with laws and avoiding critical downtime in case of a disaster.

Featured Podcasts

Lenny's Podcast:
How to show up in any room with a low heart rate: Silicon Valley's missing etiquette playbook | Sam Lessin
Interviews with world-class product leaders and growth experts to uncover actionable advice to help you build, launch, and grow your own product.
Subscribe to Lenny's Podcast.
Big Technology Podcast:
Who Wins if AI Models Commoditize? — With Mistral CEO Arthur Mensch
The Big Technology Podcast takes you behind the scenes in the tech world featuring interviews with plugged-in insiders and outside agitators.
Subscribe to Big Technology Podcast.
Uncapped with Jack Altman:
Daniele Perito from depthfirst
Conversations with people I admire about things I'm genuinely interested in.
Subscribe to Uncapped with Jack Altman.
Channels with Peter Kafka:
How to Build a Profitable Media Company in 3 years, with Semafor's Justin Smith
Media and tech aren't just intersecting - they're fully intertwined. To understand how those worlds work, Peter Kafka talks to industry leaders, upstarts and observers.
Subscribe to Channels with Peter Kafka.
Hard Fork:
Can We Build a Better Social Network?
The future is already here. Each week, journalists Kevin Roose and Casey Newton explore and make sense of the latest in the rapidly changing world of tech.
Subscribe to Hard Fork.
Tools and Weapons with Brad Smith:
Special Edition: Key findings from the Microsoft AI Diffusion Report
Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith speaks with leaders in government, business, and culture to explore the most critical challenges at the intersection of technology and society.
Subscribe to Tools and Weapons with Brad Smith.
 

About This Page

This is a Techmeme archive page. It shows how the site appeared at 1:15 PM ET, January 5, 2026.

The most current version of the site as always is available at our home page. To view an earlier snapshot click here and then modify the date indicated.

More News

Tage Kene-Okafor / TechCrunch:
New York Times:

Earlier Picks

Dylan Butts / CNBC:
Stephen Foley / Financial Times:
Dominic Preston / The Verge:
Ian Hodgson / Financial Times: