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
Alongside the announcement that Android 14 is coming to TVs, I/O 2024 also brought the news that Google TV is preparing AI recommendations and descriptions for your living room.
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Android Auto and CarPlay have just about become requirements for new car buyers at this point, and it’s clear that these platforms are very popular. In an update this week, Google confirmed that over 200 million cars are now on the road with Android Auto support.
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Accessibility is an ongoing effort with any and all digital products. At I/O 2024, Google has announced that Project Gameface will be added to Android to allow for users to control their device with head movements and facial gestures.
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With the debut of the new iPad Pro, Apple put out a controversial ad that saw creative tools crushed by a hydraulic press. Now, Samsung is firing back at the ad with a brief Galaxy Tab S9 spot that says “creativity cannot be crushed.”
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The smart home is getting another boost, as Google has announced the “Home runtime” will allow more TVs, including Chromecast with Google TV, act as a hub for Matter devices in Google Home.
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Google has redesigned the volume menu in Android 15 Beta 2 with new features and an improved look, too.
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Starting with Android 15, Google is officially changing how Bluetooth works with a new toggle that will automatically re-activate Bluetooth a day after it is turned off.
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As a part of Google I/O 2024, Android Automotive is getting support for Google Cast, new apps, and more.
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Google Pixel users will be getting a future update that brings control over smart home devices from the Google Home app to their phone’s Bedtime mode.
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Google and ADT are preparing to take their smart home and security partnership to the next level with “Trusted Neighbor,” a supercharged method of guest access that will allow users to automate when trusted contacts can enter their home using smart home devices and more.
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The Google Home app serves as a central hub to your smart home, and Google is now taking that further than ever before with the launch of Home APIs, which will let other apps and experiences tap into your smart home without additional setup.
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Ahead of Google launching Android 15 Beta 2 today, OnePlus is debuting its first Android 15 builds for the OnePlus 12 and OnePlus Open.
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Google I/O 2024 isn’t over, but the keynote has come and gone. That keynote hasn’t been met with much excitement and, somehow, the official 10-minute recap of Google I/O 2024’s keynote feels just as slow and repetitive as the full thing.
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Earlier this year Google announced that the Google One VPN would be shutting down and, now, we have a specific date.
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Google’s AI-powered Search experience is now rolling out to everyone and, with it, the web will never be the same again. However, with all of these new layers on top of the “10 blue links,” Google is making it possible to go back to something simpler with a new “Web” filter in Search.
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Google I/O 2024, more than ever before, was literally all about AI. But even though the event had a bunch of impressive announcements, it felt a bit tedious. Why?
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Google today announced that AI Overviews are widely rolling out in Search, but there are also some new features available to those looking to test them out early.
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After a year in “Labs,” Google is officially flipping the switch on AI-powered “Overviews” in Search for all users, and the web will never be the same again.
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Ahead of Google I/O 2024 where we’re likely to learn more about Android 15, Nothing has announced that a beta program to test the new update on the Nothing Phone (2a).
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After bringing it to the past few years worth of flagship devices, Samsung is rolling out One UI 6.1 to its mid-range Galaxy A series devices, but without the AI features everything else got.
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Motorola is set to launch a new Razr foldable in the next month or two, but the original Motorola Razr+ still hasn’t gotten its Android 14 update over 7 months after it debuted.
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The Galaxy Z Fold 6 was thought to be coming in two variants, but a new report claims that, yet again, Samsung is having second thoughts on releasing a cheaper model.
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After launching on the new Nothing Ear and Ear (a) last month, Nothing has announced that ChatGPT is coming to all of its audio products on May 21.
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It’s been announced that Tile will be supporting a new satellite-based tracker network starting next year as it tries to beat existing phone-based networks, including Android’s new Find My Device network.
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