Ben Schoon is a Senior Editor at 9to5Google, working for the publication as one of its primary news writers since 2016.
In 2013, Ben helped start an independent tech publication where he learned the skills used at 9to5Google including writing, product photography, and videography. He is located in the city of Winston-Salem in North Carolina where he lives with his wife Melissa. Ben is an avid disc golf player.
He primarily covers Android products, including Google Pixel devices, Samsung Galaxy smartphones, as well as devices from OnePlus, Oppo, Motorola, and more. Beyond just covering news about these products, Ben also spends time using these products himself, speaking from experience with the articles he writes. Some of Ben’s most recent hands-on reviews include; Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel Watch 2, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, Motorola Razr+, HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook, and more.
Ben is also a leading source for information about Google’s Android TV, diving deeply into important parts of the platform including its powerful Operator Tier, explaining future changes to the platform, and reviewing its products such as Chromecast with Google TV, Nvidia Shield TV, and more.
In 2019, Ben leaked one of the first in-person photos of the Pixel 4 before later revealing the Recorder and Pixel Themes apps months ahead of launch. In 2020, Ben also reported on multiple upcoming Pixel devices including Pixel 5a and the first report of Google working on a foldable Pixel smartphone. That same month, he was also the first to correctly report the $49 price point of what became the Chromecast with Google TV.
Ben Schoon is active on Twitter, @nexusben, but can also be found on Instagram and LinkedIn. For questions or tips, you can email him directly, and his portfolio is also available online.
Email: schoon@9to5mac.com | Encrypted Email: benschoon@protonmail.com
Google is investigating ongoing issues between the Pixel 9 series and Android Auto, as well as confirming a fix for 5GHz Wi-Fi issues that’s been ongoing for a while.
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Google announced nearly two years ago that weather apps would be coming to Android Auto and Android Automotive, but one of the biggest examples, The Weather Channel, is still missing.
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The Samsung Galaxy Ring is getting a couple of larger sizes in the near future, as rumors and, now, some listings have confirmed that’s the case.
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The Qi2 standard is slowly coming, and the big appeal has always been that is brings magnets that work the same as Apple’s MagSafe to other products, including Android phones. And yes, magnets are indeed required to have something say that is has “Qi2.”
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EU regulation has led to Apple being forced to open up iOS in ways that many never expected, but it’s not done just yet. In an effort to ensure “effective interoperability” with other platforms, the EU wants Apple to make native features of iOS being compatible with Android, including the likes of AirDrop and more.
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As some users have been running into issues, Ford is saying that its “Phone as a Key” feature is running into some compatibility issues on Android devices.
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Google appears to be adding Material You accent colors to Android Auto, with some colorful accents showing up in the latest updates.
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A new means of using ChatGPT has just opened up, with the ability to talk to the AI chatbot via WhatsApp using “1-800-ChatGPT.”
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A new option coming to Pixel phones in Android 16 is the ability to use the fingerprint sensor when the screen is turned off.
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Months later than expected, Samsung has officially unveiled its Android 15 update, One UI 7, and the company has pinpointed everything that’s new in a meticulously detailed changelog.
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A new software update is now rolling out to Rivian electric vehicles with support for Google Cast and a new YouTube app.
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Well ahead of its usual schedule, Google has just released the first preview of Android 16. This initial developer preview isn’t meant for the general user, but it’s freely available to anyone who wishes to try it. Here’s what Google Pixel devices can install the Android 16 Developer Preview and how to install it.
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After launching in beta on select devices over the past few months, Nothing is now rolling out a stable Android 15 update to the Nothing Phone (2) and Phone (2a) ahead of other devices.
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OnePlus is set to launch a new budget-focused device in the upcoming OnePlus 13R and while specs and other details are not yet clear, it’s been confirmed the device will have a 6,000 mAh battery.
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Some Android Auto users have been running into wireless connection issues causing stuttering audio over the past few months, but Google says this should be fixed with the latest updates.
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According to a new report, Samsung is planning to switch up how the Galaxy Z Fold 7 works with an S Pen in an effort to make the device thinner.
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Samsung is set to unveil its next flagship devices in about a month, and ahead of that, the leaks are starting to pour in. In the latest leaks, we get a peek at the new curved covers and display bezels of the Galaxy S25 Ultra, while also getting an alleged look at the Galaxy S25+’s hardware.
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Roku is adding a new feature that allows users to put a camera feed into a picture-in-picture window on the TV, among other new additions.
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Meta has announced a new software update for its Ray-Ban smart glasses which will add “Live AI,” a feature that can use a video feed to gather context for questions, similarly to Google’s Project Astra.
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The Qi2 standard has seen hardly any adoption across Android, but has been rumored to be coming in the Galaxy S25 series. As it turns out, that’s probably not happening, but Samsung may be bringing better wireless charging.
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Google’s ChromeOS has long required a “powerwash” to reset a machine, but the platform is now adding a “Safety reset” that won’t delete your data, but will give you a fresh slate.
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After a heavy delay ahead of its One UI 7 beta program, Samsung has just released a second update, bringing with it a handful of bug fixes and tweaks.
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YouTube TV has seen a number of price hikes over the years as the service has grown, and as it now serves millions of viewers, it was inevitable that another rise would be coming. That’s finally arrived this week, and it begs the question of whether or not YouTube TV will ever offer cheaper streaming packages.
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One of the sore points of early Tensor efforts for Google Pixel came from the Samsung modem used in the first few generations. It’s gotten much better over time, but both heat and signal underperform compare to other options. According to a new report, Google is switching things up for the Pixel 10 with a new modem from MediaTek.
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