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 appears to be working on a new Pixel feature called “Adaptive Touch” which will be able to adjust sensitivity of the touchscreen automatically based on certain factors.
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Motorola has just announced a new duo of Moto G devices for 2024, and one of them includes a typical premium feature, wireless charging.
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Amid a potential ban in the US, TikTok appears to be working on a new app, “TikTok Photos,” which would be about sharing photos instead of short-form videos.
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Through the past several years of Pixel phones, none have supported the ability to use the USB-C port to put anything on an external display. But with the latest Android 14 beta, Google has finally enabled display output on the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro.
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While most smartwatches for Android have circular displays, a new report claims that Samsung plans to adopt a square screen on a future Galaxy Watch.
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Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite chip promises to rival the M-series chips in Apple’s MacBooks, but there are still no devices available with the chip. That’s set to change soon, though, and it appears the “Galaxy Book Edge” will be Samsung’s first laptop powered by Snapdragon X Elite.
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Xiaomi is removing a feature in its latest updates that allowed users to play YouTube videos in the background without subscribing to Premium.
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In the latest Google Contacts update, the app is cleaning up how contact information pulled from other services like WhatsApp appears in each listing.
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Following the global debut of the Honor Magic 6 Pro at MWC recently, Honor is now teasing the “Magic 6 Ultimate” which should be announced soon.
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Samsung has just announced its latest mid-range Android phones, with the Galaxy A55 and Galaxy A35 set to release in many markets over the coming months.
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If you’re trying to log onto GeForce Now for some weekend gaming, the service is currently experiencing a global outage.
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Smartphone glass has gotten much better over the years, but Corning’s new Gorilla Armor feels like the first truly big upgrade we’ve seen in a while. I want it on everything.
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In its latest updates, Google Wallet has added support for automatically pulling movie tickets and travel boarding passes from your Gmail account.
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In addressing a Pixel feature that’s disappeared, Google has confirmed that the Pixel 8a is on its way.
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Android Auto is getting a tweak for Google Maps that shows the estimated drive time in the same bolder style as other platforms.
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Android 14 first launched a few months ago at this point, but it’s just now finally making its way to the OnePlus Open in the United States.
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Ahead of its alleged late-March debut, the 2024 edition of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite has leaked, and it appears to only be swapping out its chipset.
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The first OnePlus Watch was one of the worst products in the brand’s history, but with a revamped vision, clever tricks, and Wear OS at its core, the OnePlus Watch 2 is drastically improved. It’s still not perfect, but its redeeming qualities make up for its deficiencies.
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Ahead of its likely debut in the next couple of months, the Motorola Edge 50 Pro has surfaced in leaked images which show off multiple colors including a super unique fabric-looking finish.
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Setting default apps is commonplace on Android, but over on iOS, Apple has historically made this difficult. Over time, users have been given the ability to set default browser apps and make other tweaks, but starting next year, Apple will apparently allow iPhone users to set their default navigation app as something other than Apple Maps, like Google Maps.
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The Google Phone app appears to be testing out support for showing calls from WhatsApp, as well as making it easier to start a video call with someone.
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Switching from one platform to another is never easy, but in some cases, it can be harder than it needs to be. But, in response to the EU’s DMA, Apple has confirmed it is working on a “user-friendly” way to transfer data from an iPhone to an Android device.
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Microsoft this week announced, unexpectedly, that Windows 11 would drop its Subsystem for Android that allowed the OS to run Android apps. Now, we’re getting some insight as to why the decision was made.
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Fingerprint sensors are a mainstay of modern Android phones and, for most people, something we interact with on a daily basis. That’s why the fingerprint sensor on Google Pixel phones is so controversial, but what do you think about it?
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