Technology News 10.03.2026
LIVETechnology news rolling coverageStarted: March 10, 2026, 12:00 AM EDTUpdated: March 10, 2026, 7:56 AM EDT
Google’s ChromeOS exit plan surfaces in court: Android PC “Aluminium” pushed to 2028, sunset eyed for 2034
Court documents show Google plans to end ChromeOS by 2034, shifting Chromebooks to a new Android-based platform. A limited test of “Project Aluminium” is set for late 2026, with a full rollout in 2028. The new system will not support all current Chromebook hardware. U.S. court orders exempt ChromeOS and its successors from some antitrust restrictions.
Technology News 04.02.2026
Russian-state hackers exploited Microsoft Office flaw CVE-2026-21509 to breach diplomatic and transport networks in at least nine countries, using fileless attacks and compromised government accounts, Trellix says. The campaign, linked to APT28 and Fancy Bear, delivered 29 phishing lures over 72 hours. Alphabet plans $175–$185 billion in AI infrastructure spending for 2026, more than double 2025, as Google Cloud backlog hits $240 billion.
Alphabet eyes massive Bengaluru office expansion as U.S. tightens H-1B visas
Alphabet is preparing to lease about 2.4 million square feet of new office space in Bengaluru’s Whitefield area, Bloomberg News reported Tuesday. The expansion could allow for up to 20,000 additional employees, more than doubling its current India workforce. The move comes as U.S. visa costs and restrictions rise. Alphabet declined to comment.
Netflix warns Germany could get subtitles-only as voice actors boycott AI contract clause
German voice actors are boycotting Netflix over a contract clause allowing recordings to be used for AI training, according to the VDS union. Netflix warned it may switch to German subtitles instead of dubbing if the dispute continues. The VDS has commissioned a legal review focused on privacy, copyright, and EU AI rules.
Western Digital adds a $4B buyback as AI servers squeeze memory supply
Western Digital’s board approved an additional $4 billion for share buybacks, with $484 million still left from a prior authorization. The move follows surging demand for memory chips in AI servers and a 57% stock jump this year. The new buyback plan is effective immediately. Rising AI server demand is straining the memory and storage market.
SpaceX halts Falcon 9 launches after Starlink flight hits second-stage snag
SpaceX has grounded Falcon 9 launches after a second-stage issue followed deployment of 25 Starlink satellites on Monday. The company is reviewing data and has not set a return-to-flight date. NASA’s Crew-12 mission to the ISS is now targeted for no earlier than Feb. 11. The Falcon 9’s upper stage encountered problems during preparations for its deorbit burn.
Anthropic AI legal plug-in batters Relx, Wolters Kluwer as software and ad stocks slide
RELX shares fell as much as 17%, Wolters Kluwer 13%, and Thomson Reuters over 14% after Anthropic launched a legal plug-in for its Claude AI chatbot. Publicis dropped more than 9% and Omnicom nearly 6%. The selloff spread to U.S. software stocks, with Microsoft and Oracle down 2–3% and Adobe, Salesforce, and ServiceNow off over 5%.
OpenAI eyes faster ChatGPT chips as it weighs Nvidia alternatives and $100B talks drag
OpenAI is seeking alternatives to Nvidia’s latest AI chips to speed up inference for products like ChatGPT, sources say. Nvidia, OpenAI, and Oracle denied reports of friction over Nvidia’s planned investment. Nvidia shares fell about 3% Tuesday morning as investors reacted to the news. OpenAI has held talks with AMD and startups but says Nvidia still powers most of its operations.
Waymo’s $16 Billion Cash Haul Pushes Valuation to $126 Billion — Here’s What Changes Now
Waymo raised $16 billion in new funding, lifting its valuation to $126 billion. Dragoneer, DST Global, and Sequoia led the round, with Alphabet staying as majority owner. Waymo says it logged 15 million trips in 2025 and now operates over 400,000 weekly rides across six U.S. metro areas. The company plans to expand its robotaxi fleet into at least 20 more cities in 2026.
China’s ‘Hidden’ Door Handle Ban Targets Tesla-Style Designs From 2027
China will require all new cars to have visible door handles and a mechanical release that works without electricity starting Jan. 1, 2027. Existing models have until Jan. 1, 2029, to comply. The rule targets flush, electronic handles used by Tesla and others after safety concerns. An analyst warned the change could force costly redesigns and influence global regulations.
Google Cloud lands Liberty Global in five-year Gemini AI deal across Europe
Google Cloud and Liberty Global signed a five-year agreement to deploy Gemini AI and cloud technologies across Liberty’s European operations, the companies said Tuesday. The deal includes AI-powered TV search, automated customer service, and autonomous network management. Liberty will also expand sales of Google devices and run some Google Cloud services in its own data centres.
Elon Musk’s $1.25 trillion mash-up: SpaceX buys xAI as IPO plans sharpen
Elon Musk said SpaceX has acquired his AI startup xAI in a deal valuing the combined company at $1.25 trillion. xAI investors will get 0.1433 SpaceX shares per xAI share, with some executives able to take cash at $75.46 per share, according to a person familiar with the matter. The deal comes as SpaceX prepares for a public stock offering later this year.
Paris prosecutors raid X offices, summon Elon Musk as Grok deepfake probe widens
French authorities raided X’s Paris office Tuesday as part of a cybercrime investigation now expanded to include AI chatbot Grok and sexually explicit deepfakes, some allegedly involving minors. Prosecutors summoned Elon Musk and former CEO Linda Yaccarino for questioning on April 20. UK and EU regulators have also launched probes into X and its AI services over data handling and harmful content. X has not commented on the raid or summons.
Siemens Energy’s $1 billion U.S. bet: new Mississippi switchgear plant taps AI power boom
Siemens Energy will invest $1 billion in U.S. manufacturing, including a new grid-equipment plant in Mississippi set to open in 2028. CEO Christian Bruch cited surging demand from data centres, with about 20 gigawatts of generation capacity tied to U.S. data-centre projects. Grid expansion faces delays due to equipment shortages and slow connections. The U.S. is now Siemens Energy’s top market for orders.
Chinese chip designer Montage Technology targets top-end price for $902 million Hong Kong listing
Montage plans to price its Hong Kong share sale at the top of its range, seeking up to HK$7.04 billion ($902 million), sources said. The final price is due Feb. 5, with trading to start Feb. 9. Cornerstone investors have pledged $450 million. The company will sell 65.9 million H shares, valuing Montage near HK$180.36 billion.
NXP’s upbeat forecast hints industrial-chip bottom — but telecom slump knocks shares
NXP Semiconductors forecast first-quarter revenue of $3.05–$3.25 billion, above analyst estimates, citing strong demand in automotive and industrial markets. Fourth-quarter revenue reached $3.34 billion, with adjusted earnings of $3.35 per share, both beating forecasts. Shares fell about 5% after hours, pressured by an 18% drop in communications infrastructure revenue. Automotive sales totaled $1.88 billion for the quarter.
Apple’s foldable iPhone leak hints at iPad-style buttons and a monster battery — with “iPhone Flip” talk back
A leak points to a foldable iPhone, possibly called “iPhone Flip,” with volume buttons on the top edge and Touch ID in the power button. Battery capacity could reach 5,500 mAh, the largest for any iPhone. Reports show a clamshell design and a punch-hole selfie camera. Apple has not confirmed any details.
Android 16 QPR3 Beta 2 quietly revamps Pixel Adaptive Connectivity — what the new toggles do
Google has split Pixel’s Adaptive Connectivity feature into two separate toggles in Android 16 QPR3 Beta 2: “Auto-switch to mobile network” and “Optimize network for battery life,” both enabled by default. The change follows an update to Adaptive Connectivity Services. The new options replace the previous single switch and warn users about possible data charges. A stable rollout is expected in March.
Firefox adds an AI kill switch — Mozilla lets you block every generative AI feature
Firefox 148 will launch Feb. 24 with a new “Block AI enhancements” toggle, letting users disable all current and future generative AI features. Mozilla says the master switch covers tools like translations, AI alt text, tab grouping, and sidebar chatbots. Individual AI features can still be managed separately. Settings persist across updates and can be changed at any time.
Apple blocks iOS 26.2 downgrade after quietly pulling the update’s “signature”
Apple has stopped signing iOS 26.2, blocking downgrades from iOS 26.2.1 about a week after its release. The latest update adds AirTag (2nd generation) support. Apple also ended signing for several older iOS versions on unsupported devices. No statement was issued explaining the move.