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
Galaxy smartphones and tablets are reportedly adding a new app from Samsung as soon as this week, a new report claims, as Samsung will apparently expand its own cloud gaming service to all Galaxy users.
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We’ve seen countless leaks of the Pixel 8 Pro, and they just keep coming. With just a day or two left, a new leak of Pixel 8 Pro shows off the blue colorway, and reveals that its name might be “Bay.”
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The first Pixel Watch launched with Fitbit integration, but it felt a little sloppy and was missing big and expected features. One of the biggest gaps, the lack of automatic workout tracking, is apparently set to be fixed on Pixel Watch 2, at least according to a new leak.
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TikTok has pretty much taken the attention of everyone with its short form videos, and the app is now apparently preparing a way to let users remove ads from the experience for a monthly fee.
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“Techtober,” as this time of year has come to be known as, is in full swing, and this week will keep it going with the launch of Google’s Pixel 8 series. However, Samsung has also now confirmed that it will launch new devices on that same October 4 date, presumably referring to the Galaxy S23 FE and other “Fan Edition” devices.
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At this time in a couple of days, Google will unveil its new Pixel 8 series smartphones, but that timeline is only making leaks hit the web even faster. Over the weekend, video unboxings of the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro have hit the web, with a few details confirmed, including the type of fingerprint sensor.
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In just a few days, Google will host an event in New York City to unveil the Pixel 8 series and the Pixel Watch 2. Here’s everything you should expect to see from the event.
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Pixel 8 leaks aren’t stopping, and this weekend we’re getting yet another collection of leaks as a new ad emphasizes yet again how badly it wants you to switch to Pixel, and why you should.
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It was discovered not long ago that Google is working on bringing emoji reactions to Gmail. The feature isn’t live just yet, but on Android, we can get an early look at the feature in action.
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The Pixel leaks just keep coming. With less than a week to go before Google’s big launch event, yet another leak has given us a first look at the unboxing experience of the Pixel 8 Pro.
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We live in an age where AI is dominating the whole tech space, and it’s also coming for physical products too. And, ahead of the Pixel 8 series coming to market, it seems abundantly clear that Google is leaning very heavily on AI to bolster its new smartphones.
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The Pixel Watch 2 is set to launch in a week, and the leaks just keep coming. In the latest batch, we’re getting a better look at Fitbit improvements coming to Pixel Watch 2.
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New leaks of Samsung’s Galaxy S24 series have hit the web, giving us a first look at the design and its tweaked look, while new display information reveals that Samsung will challenge Apple’s new edge-to-edge iPhone 15 Pro displays.
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OnePlus is shutting down an app, Clipt, that allowed users to sync the same copy/paste clipboard between their Android phone and a Windows PC or Mac.
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As the October 4 launch event approaches, more leaks are detailing Google’s upcoming Pixel 8 series and Pixel Watch 2, with the latest leak including more specs and battery sizes.
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Google’s Pixel phones still largely make up a small portion of the smartphone market, but slowly the devices are growing in popularity. A new report details that Google Pixel phones continue to grow in Japan, and have been taking market share from the iPhone.
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Meta has announced the Meta Quest 3, the successor to the VR headset that launched as Oculus Quest 2. The Android-based headset brings a much faster chip, updated hardware, and also cloud gaming support.
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The Google Pixel 8 has leaked countless times at this point, and this afternoon we’re getting yet another look at the upcoming device. But, through these leaks, one color of the Pixel 8 has really had us scratching our heads, as it looks look a dull grey in some shots, but slightly green in others.
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Google’s first entry into the smartwatch game, the Pixel Watch, is perhaps the one I’ve loved more than any other smartwatch. A year later, I still love it, but I also have a few things I’d like to see the Pixel Watch 2 improve on.
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Google is the default search experience on many devices, and that’s in part because the company quite aggressively bids to be that default provider. In an ongoing antitrust trial, it’s been shown just how hard Google has pushed to remain the default search engine on Apple and Samsung devices.
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While Google Pixel remains an ultimately pretty small player in the smartphone market, it’s clear that Google is gaining traction. Case in point, in Q2 of 2023, Google Pixel was the only brand that experienced growth in the North American market.
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YouTube Premium offers quite a bit, but its biggest attraction is ad-free videos. That’s what made YouTube “Premium Lite” attractive, as it brought ad-free viewing for less money. However, the tier is now shutting down in some countries.
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Watch faces are the part of Wear OS that really lets you express yourself, and now a new custom watch face maker from an iconic Android developer promises to really put you in the driver’s seat of watch face creation.
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The leaks just keep coming ahead of Google’s Pixel launch event, with two more Pixel 8 leaks today showing off the Pro’s matte glass back, as well as a carrier confirming the release date for both devices.
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