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Google confirmed at the Android Dev Summit that detachable Chromebook designs are coming soon, expanding beyond current clamshell and convertible models. Shortly after, Lenovo's Bluetooth keyboard and stylus for its rumored Chromebook Duet m appeared in the FCC database, with the keyboard's documentation showing Chromebook branding and pogo-pin connectors matching the device.
The FCC announced it will vote at its November 19 open meeting on a rule letting state and local prisons opt in to using cellphone jammers to block inmates' unauthorized phone use. Facilities choosing to use the technology would need to show jamming doesn't interfere with signals outside designated areas, and federal prisons that have tested 'micro-jamming' since 2018 would get a formal pathway to continue.
The FCC has approved Amazon Leo's $11.5 billion acquisition of satellite operator Globalstar, which currently provides Apple's emergency satellite connectivity for iPhones and Apple Watches. Apple previously held a 20 percent stake in Globalstar before the takeover, and under the new deal Leo will take over powering those satellite services for supported Apple devices.
Under the Trump administration, the FCC has moved beyond its longstanding restrictions on Chinese telecom gear to block future imports of foreign-made drones, routers, robots (including robovacs) and power inverters unless companies secure a waiver. The agency cites national security risks but has not published evidence supporting the claims, nor addressed devices already in use in American homes.
The FCC's Office of Engineering and Technology sent letters dated October 15, 2026 alleging TP-Link submitted false or incorrect information in equipment authorization applications for four router models, including high-end Archer units. Three of the four routers reportedly exceeded allowed power usage limits, adding a new obstacle to TP-Link's push to sell Wi-Fi 8 products in the US. TP-Link responded that routine FCC spot checks are standard industry practice and said it supports the agency's oversight role.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr is advancing a plan to authorize correctional facilities to jam cellphone signals within designated 'jamming containment areas' to curb contraband phone use by inmates. The proposal requires facilities to obtain licenses, undergo technical testing to prevent interference outside the authorized zone, and conduct additional on-site testing before and after deployment. Carriers, FirstNet, public safety officials, 911 authorities, and nearby communities would be notified in advance of testing and rollout.
The FCC has cleared Amazon Leo to acquire mobile-satellite operator Globalstar in an $11.5 billion deal. The regulator said combining the companies' assets should boost Leo's entry into direct-to-device satellite service and expand coverage for residential, business and government customers. Globalstar currently powers Apple's emergency satellite connectivity on compatible iPhones and Watches, and Leo will take over that role under the deal.
Reflect Orbital, developer of a planned satellite system to reflect sunlight onto Earth at night, ran an unannounced ground test earlier this month near Lone Pine, California, using powerful spotlights on a mountainside to simulate the effect. The resulting light exceeded full-moon brightness, and local officials and county government say they were not informed beforehand, raising questions about what permissions, if any, were obtained.
The FCC added routers made in foreign countries to its Covered List on March 23, following a national security determination from a White House-convened interagency body. Devices on the list cannot receive FCC authorization needed for US sale, though Davolink's Kevin and Bob routers, authorized before the listing, can still be sold and used, with software updates permitted at least until January 1, 2029. Netgear, Eero and ASUS have since received temporary Conditional Approvals from the Pentagon or DHS, but Davolink has not said whether it has applied for one.
The FCC issued an order on October 22 allowing Intel to keep using certain foreign-made automated guided vehicles in its US chip fabs for one year. Intel had requested the waiver 'out of an abundance of caution' because it was unclear whether its warehouse robots, often made by Japanese firms like Murata Machinery and Daifuku, fell under the agency's new ban on foreign-made robots. The approval also lets Intel make hardware, software and firmware changes needed to keep the vehicles running.
The FCC has blocked US sales and marketing of a dashboard camera and a wireless video transmitter, marking the first enforcement of a new rule that bans devices based on their internal chips rather than brand or model. Both products use the HiSilicon Hi3516CV610 Smart Vision SoC, which includes facial-detection and AI video analysis features. HiSilicon is a Huawei subsidiary, and Huawei entities are listed on the FCC's Covered List of national security risks.
The FCC used its new authority, granted October 13th, to block two unnamed gadgets for containing a HiVision Hi3516CV610 chip, which it labels a 'foreign surveillance chip.' HiVision is a subsidiary of Huawei, already on the FCC's Covered List of national security threats, and the chip is commonly paired with Sony camera sensors in security cameras and dashcams sold on sites like AliExpress.