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 Home is finally addressing one of its biggest shortcomings in automations, with support now rolling out for smart buttons that can control other devices in your home.
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Leaks continue to tell us the GalaxyS26 series won’t be a particularly big upgrade, and it seems more likely than ever that one of the biggest expected changes, the addition of native Qi2 magnets, won’t be happening – “my day is ruined and my disappointment is immeasurable.”
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The Google Pixel brand has been growing steadily in recent years and, as the smartphone market as a whole faces a rocky year in 2026, Pixel is expected to see the “strongest growth” compared to other big names.
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The smartphone market is focused more and more on premium devices, and in 2025, the Galaxy S25 Ultra unsurprisngly led the charge.
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Google Pixel’s new “theme packs” launched just a couple of months ago, but as the first release vanishes, Google says more “are coming.”
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Google has quietly released a new “Desktop Camera” app that might just be for Android PCs, but it’s a little too early to tell.
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Smartphones have gotten really boring over the past few years, with most year-over-year “upgrades” just acting as a rehash of the prior year’s device with a new chipset and maybe some new colors. And yet, we just keep getting these boring upgrades. It’s been true for years now that phones simply do not need a yearly refresh anymore, but 2026 would be the year to make the switch – not that anyone is actually going to.
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Verizon has a wild sale going on right now, with hundreds of accessories available for 90% off, including Google’s official Pixel 10 case for just $5.00.
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Motorola is not exactly known for timely Android updates, but its latest releases in Europe don’t even promise OS upgrades at all – with Android 15 out of the box being a cherry on top.
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Amazon has been on a crusade to stop rampant piracy on Fire TV, with the company now blocking even the installation of certain sideloaded apps.
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Under Google, Fitbit has been moving away from its traditional standalone accounts, instead pushing users to sign in with their Google account. That will be mandatory this year, but the deadline has been pushed back.
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Google announced the rollout of Gemini for Android Auto in November 2025 and, a couple of months later, it still doesn’t seem to be available for the majority of drivers.
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Back in 2021, Nest Hub picked up an update that made it easy to access select functions via touch with a selection of “apps,” but they’ve vanished over the past year or so.
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Google’s Gemini Live is perhaps at its most useful in the car, which is why a recent Android Auto bug is both super annoying, and a bit hilarious to watch happening.
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Over a decade in, Nvidia says it isn’t giving up on the Shield TV any time soon, with updates still coming, and new hardware not necessarily off of the table.
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Samsung’s Galaxy S26 series is looking all but confirmed for a February 25 launch event, while new leaks reveal official-looking images and alleged specs for the trio.
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Google has updated Android’s distribution numbers again, this time revealing that Android 16 is already on 7.5% of devices, with the numbers having shuffled considerably since the previous update.
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Samsung has upgraded its Care+ insurance program in Europe, with Galaxy devices now eligible for “unlimited accidental damage” repairs.
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Google TV is testing out new “Free” and “Shop” tabs for the homescreen, with both tabs showcasing additional content in a slightly new way.
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Google’s mostly-forgotten Pixel Tablet is getting a new lease on life, as the company is giving its one and only tablet another two years of Android OS updates to match the policy on its phones.
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Over the past week, Google has settled two class action lawsuits over Android privacy, one regarding data usage and the other around Assistant, despite the company denying any wrongdoing.
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Ahead of Google’s apparently-imminent Pixel 10a launch, the Pixel Buds 2a have surfaced in some new colors including the “Berry” expected to launch on the phone as well.
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Samsung announced earlier this week that the Galaxy Z TriFold would be available for purchase in the United States on January 30, but we noticed today that Samsung’s website briefly let you buy the device a little early and, while it’s now sold out, it revealed a few details including a lack of trade-in options.
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In the same video where Nothing confirmed that there’s no “flagship” coming in 2026, we’re also getting a teaser for Nothing Phone (4a) which hints at a major revamp to the budget series, and more.
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