YouTube has updated how the “skip” button works with ads, and it may no longer appear right away.
Expand Expanding CloseYouTube isn’t hiding the skip button for ads, it’s just not showing it right away
Author
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
Nvidia Shield TV gets its first new update in over a year
The Nvidia Shield TV remains one of the best Android TV OS devices on the market even though it hasn’t gotten a major update in a while, but a fresh update is rolling out now to users.
Expand Expanding CloseHands-on: Nothing OS 3.0 is a welcome upgrade, but why did Nothing copy the iOS App Library?
Built on top of Android 15, Nothing OS 3.0 is a pretty big overhaul to the company’s Android skin, which was already one of the best on the market. After playing around with the update, I’m pretty happy with the various upgrades Nothing has made, at least for the most part.
Expand Expanding CloseRing beats Google Nest to the punch with AI-powered natural language search for video
Amazon’s Ring has just announced AI-powered search for video events captured by its cameras, beating Google to the punch on the idea.
Expand Expanding CloseParallels for ChromeOS, which lets Chromebooks run Windows, seems to be shutting down
While ChromeOS has become more and more capable over the years, the occasional need for a traditional desktop operating system, namely Windows, has never really gone away. To solve that, some apps and services have allowed Chromebooks to run Windows, including Parallels, which is said to be shutting down later this year.
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Samsung confirms One UI 7 beta will be public as some doubted it
The upcoming release of Samsung’s One UI 7 update is confusing and unusual, and a specific quote had some worried that the beta wouldn’t be released publicly. Samsung, though, has confirmed that the beta will be available to those interested in trying it.
Expand Expanding CloseMicrosoft releases one last Android 12 update for Surface Duo 2 as it ends support
The Microsoft Surface Duo 2 is quickly approaching its end of life and as that date nears, Microsoft has just released one last Android 12 update for the device.
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Don’t bother with a random wireless Android Auto adapter when Motorola MA1 is $45
Wireless Android Auto adapters are very useful, but on days like Amazon’s Prime Day, you’re often going to see crazy prices on third-party options that aren’t worth the money. And, thankfully, you don’t need to as Motorola MA1 is down to an absurdly low $45.
Expand Expanding CloseSamsung’s new Galaxy Tab S10 still only gets quarterly updates, but for 7 years
Samsung’s new Galaxy Tab S10 series makes some key changes, but one thing that doesn’t change is the frequency of updates, which only arrive four times per year even on the $1,000+ tablets.
Expand Expanding CloseNothing Phone (2a) gets Android 15 in Open Beta with revamped Nothing OS
Ahead of a full release in December, Nothing is today launching an Open Beta of Nothing OS 3.0, powered by Android 15, on the Phone (2a).
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OnePlus Open is $1,140 as some of the best foldable deals ever go live
As Amazon’s latest Prime Day event kicks off, OnePlus is offering its stellar OnePlus Open foldable for just $1,100 in one of the best foldable deals ever.
Expand Expanding CloseYou can get a foldable for $350 as Motorola discounts entire Razr lineup
Motorola is running massive discounts on its foldable Razr lineup, with prices starting at just $350 for a limited time.
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Android Auto seems to be preparing support for more calling apps
Android Auto currently only supports using your phone’s default dialer app for making phone calls, but that may soon change as the new Android Auto 13.0 update prepares support for third-party calling apps.
Expand Expanding CloseSamsung Galaxy A16 launches with 6 years of Android updates, half the price of Pixel 8a
Samsung is setting a new record for Android updates per dollar, as the new Galaxy A16 has launched with a low price and 6 years of Android updates.
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Google TV Streamer remote is now out of stock as shipping delays for the box continue
The Google TV Streamer is a long-awaited upgrade for Google’s living room experience, but getting your hands on the new hardware just keeps getting harder. For the Google TV Streamer itself, shipping dates continue to slip, but even if you just want to use the new remote, that’s now completely out of stock as well.
Expand Expanding CloseOnePlus 13 might be the first flagship Android phone with MagSafe-like charging
MagSafe, and now Qi2, adds a whole new layer to the wireless charging experience that adds new flexibility and improved functionality, but the universal version of the idea, Qi2, still hasn’t made its way to most Android phones. The OnePlus 13 might finally change that, though, with some form of MagSafe-like charging.
Expand Expanding CloseAndroid makes me (almost) hate using a password manager – Google needs to fix it
Password managers are time-saving, security-enhancing tool that everyone should be using, but every time Android refuses to play nicely with a password manager, I’m reminded why so many people don’t bother.
Expand Expanding CloseAndroid Auto 13.0 update is now rolling out, prepares for new ‘Car Media’ feature
Google is rolling out the next version of Android Auto, version 13.0, which doesn’t bring any user-facing changes, but does continue some work behind the scenes.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Photos starts rolling out AI-powered ‘Ask Photos’ following waitlist sign-ups
Following Google opening a waitlist for access last month, Google Photos is now rolling out “Ask Photos” to some users.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle ends project that would have let Android devices easily run ChromeOS
A project at Google that allowed Android devices to run ChromeOS with essentially the click of a button is coming to an end, as Google isn’t further developing “Ferrochrome.”
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Police officers will now report themselves on Google Maps and Waze in one US state
Google Maps and Waze both have features that allow users to report police activity along their route, and in a bid to use that for safety, the Illinois State Police has partnered with Google to show the locations of traffic stop or other activity as reported by the police themselves.
Expand Expanding CloseSamsung shows off more ways that One UI 7 copies iOS including multitasking [Gallery]
At its developer conference this week, Samsung showed off a Galaxy S24 Ultra running the company’s One UI 7 well ahead of its release, confirming a few key leaks and offering some enticing first impressions.
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Samsung will use ‘One UI’ on all major devices starting in 2025, including TVs
Samsung has announced that its “One UI” software branding from Galaxy devices will be expanding to the rest of the company’s major tech products starting next year.
Expand Expanding CloseGalaxy S24 FE is $200 off with any Samsung phone trade-in, even broken ones
As pre-orders have come to an end, Samsung’s Galaxy S24 FE is now available with a minimum $200 trade-in credit for any other Samsung smartphone, making for a pretty enticing upgrade if you’re on an older device.
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