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’s Pixel 9 Pro Fold is only the company’s second attempt at a foldable, but it’s a stunning improvement over the first, and quite possibly the foldable you’ve been waiting for this whole time.
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The Google TV Streamer has so far only been available in the United States, but eager buyers can now order the device in the UK through a retailer.
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The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a stunning piece of hardware, but it has a few downsides compared to Google’s other new phones, including its charging speed, which is the slowest of the bunch.
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The Samsung Galaxy Ring is apparently getting a hardware update that delivers additional sizes while the wearable also makes its way to a new region.
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Google’s Pixel Watch will soon get a new band option in the “Performance Loop” that’s leaked on a couple of occasions, and as that approaches, a new leak reveals more color options as well as potential pricing.
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It’s been a long road, but incident reports are finally coming to Google Maps on Android Auto. As the full rollout takes its sweet time, we’re finally getting a closer look at how the functionality will actually work.
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Google is rolling out an update for Android Auto that adds improved support for electric vehicles that use the NACS charging standard found at Tesla charging stations.
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Xiaomi has just announced that its first foldable flip phone, the Mix Flip, will soon see a global launch, right as the company has briefly overtaken Apple as the world’s second-largest smartphone maker.
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Work behind the scenes on WhatsApp suggests the popular app will soon let users individually theme chats with wallpapers and colors.
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Google TV’s library of free channels continues to grow, this week adding several more options including The Bob Ross Channel.
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In yet another behind-the-scenes update, Google TV has added several more free channels to Freeplay, as well as rolling out a revamped app experience.
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Samsung was supposed to release its first One UI 7 beta update over a month ago, but it’s been delayed indefinitely and, apparently, the company has no firm plans for when its first look at Android 15 will actually arrive.
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Google’s Circle to Search feature is a simple but incredibly useful concept that’s so far been exclusive to Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel devices. But, soon, it seems like Circle to Search will expand to many more Android devices as evidenced by new details about Tecno and Xiaomi releases.
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After boosting its software update policy on flagships to match Google Pixel, Samsung is now apparently bringing a massive six years of Android OS updates to one of its most affordable smartphones.
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Android’s Find My Device network is still finding its bearings, but some new hardware seems to be on the way, with a set of new trackers from “Rolling Square” promising compelling hardware that includes a siren and a glow-in-the-dark design.
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The bezel wars are largely over, but manufacturers keep pushing for thinner and thinner rails around the display. Following up on Apple’s impressively slim bezels on iPhone 16, Samsung is reportedly making the bezels on the Galaxy S25 Ultra even smaller.
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By far the biggest complaint from the long-awaited Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen) has been its dim display, but a new update should help with manual brightness controls now rolling out.
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Google Maps is picking up a couple of new features on Android Auto, with a new and much easier way to add a stop on your route.
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Smart glasses are still largely a dream as the hardware just doesn’t fit the vision yet, but there’s been significant progress. One shining example has been Meta’s Ray-Ban series of smart glasses, and that partnership has now been renewed for years to come.
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Samsung’s design language for the Galaxy S25 series looks pretty much identical to years past, and it seems the Galaxy S25+ won’t change that, just like the whole series won’t see any battery changes.
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According to a new report, competition in the foldable space has Samsung in a panic, and the company is revving up plans to launch a rollable smartphone as soon as next year.
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Google’s rollout of the Find My Device network has been a bit less than ideal, but things are due to get better over time. One of the highly anticipated additions to Find My Device is support for UWB trackers, which the app appears to be preparing for with the addition of a “compass.”
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Perhaps the most useful thing about the new Google TV platform is the ability to aggregate and organize content from a variety of different sources. Which ones, though? Here’s a full list of streaming services and apps that Google TV supports.
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Through its website this week, Nothing has confirmed plans to launch a new “open” audio product on September 24.
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