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
Spotify is launching a new collaboration feature in “Jam” which allows up to 32 people control a music playlist in real-time from their own devices.
Expand Expanding Close
Carl Pei’s Nothing has created some earbuds and smartphones that have garnered high praise thanks to their solid quality and excellent software, but they’ve always come at a cost that’s not particularly low. Now, Nothing is fully launching its budget-focused CMF brand which is debuting a new smartwatch, earbuds, and charger that are launching starting today.
Expand Expanding Close
Apple ditched leather accessories with its latest lineup and instead moved to a new “FineWoven” fabric material for iPhone 15. But, after some time using it, FineWoven just reminds me how good Google’s old fabric cases for Pixel were.
Expand Expanding Close
In its first big update in quite a while, Google Earth is rolling out a redesigned Android app that adds overdue support for Projects, while also stripping away an old feature.
Expand Expanding Close
Samsung might be moving up the release date of its next flagship, the Galaxy S24 series, to January of next year.
Expand Expanding Close
The Nest x Yale lock first made its debut in 2018 and, five years later, it’s effectively been ignored for a while in Google’s updated smart home ecosystem. Without a proper sequel on the horizon, we’ve been looking at Yale’s new Matter-enabled smart lock which should be a good stand-in for Google’s overdue sequel, but instead, shows Matter’s limits yet again.
Expand Expanding Close
According to a leaked advertisement, the Google Pixel Watch 2 might end up being a freebie for users who pre-order the Pixel 8 Pro, reviving a deal we’ve seen previously.
Expand Expanding Close
Google has quietly announced that it will pull the plug on the basic HTML version of Gmail starting in 2024.
Expand Expanding Close
Android phones are often among the most affordable options for many customers, but in Mexico, Motorola has been dealing with issues with high volumes of its phones being sold through unauthorized sellers. Over the past couple of months, the company has taken the drastic measure of disabling those phones entirely.
Expand Expanding Close
Samsung has one more big release in store for 2023, with “Fan Edition” devices set to make their debut. The Galaxy S23 FE seems to be a relatively basic device, but it may be attractive on its price, which reportedly matches the Google Pixel 7 in the United States.
Expand Expanding Close
Google released the first beta to Android 14 QPR1 last night for Pixel phones, but eager testers should be aware that Google Wallet isn’t currently functional.
Expand Expanding Close
The leaks keep coming, and after several major Pixel 8 leaks over the weekend and this morning, a new leaked ad for the Pixel Watch 2 is confirming new health features, bands, and more.
Expand Expanding Close
While we don’t yet know when Android 14 will actually debut, OnePlus has today revealed its take on the update in OxygenOS 14.
Expand Expanding Close
For the last decade, I’ve been a diehard Android user, with the only iOS device really in my personal lineup being an iPad Pro. But, this week, I took delivery of an iPhone 15 Pro, and after a day using it, I’ve got… well, a whole lot of thoughts.
Expand Expanding Close
Google is set to launch the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro on October 4, and through a huge series of leaks, we’ve seen a ton of information come out. Now, we’ve learned the US price for the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, and it’s going up a bit.
Expand Expanding Close
The focus of Google’s Pixel phones has always been on the camera, and it seems there’s a lot of new stuff coming with the Pixel 8 series, as a new leaked ad reveals manual camera controls, new features, and a whole bunch of AI in the pipeline.
Expand Expanding Close
The Nest app is slowly on its way out, as Google puts all of its smart home efforts into the Google Home app. And now, you can bring old Nest Cam units into the Google Home app with a simple transfer process – here’s how it works.
Expand Expanding Close
Google is adding a helpful “Select All” button to Gmail on Android, an addition that allows users to more easily and quickly clean up their inbox.
Expand Expanding Close
Google Maps directions are generally considered fairly reliable, but occasionally you’ll find the app putting you down a road that’s not traversable. For one man, Google Maps allegedly sent him down a road with a bridge that had collapsed, leading to his death.
Expand Expanding Close
Amazon Prime Video isn’t usually anyone’s first thought when it comes to a streaming service, but it’s an absolute juggernaut thanks to its inclusion in Amazon Prime. But, now, Amazon Prime Video is getting ads unless you pay extra.
Expand Expanding Close
Meta’s Threads is rolling out the much-needed ability to easily switch between accounts while evidence suggests that an edit button could also be coming soon.
Expand Expanding Close
We’ve seen a lot of Google Pixel 8 leaks thus far, and even a full reveal from Google, but another leak today is offering a better look at all of the colors Google is launching this year.
Expand Expanding Close
After launching the Phantom V Fold earlier this year, Tecno is today launching the Phantom V Flip as its first flip phone, and, like its big brother, the device has an impressive price tag.
Expand Expanding Close
TikTok has taken the world’s attention in a big way, and for younger audiences, the app has almost become a go-to for all information, including for searches. Now, TikTok is start to integrate Google Search results in “some markets.”
Expand Expanding Close