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
One of the places AI has really made an impact is on app coding, opening new doors both for professionals and the casual user. “Vibe coding,” as it’s come to be known, is exactly what you can do with Nothing’s new “Essential Apps,” which lets you create homescreen widgets, “apps,” using text prompts and the help of AI – but I’m not fully sold just yet.
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Google Photos is bringing its new “Create with AI” templates over to iPhone and iPad, a few months after they arrived on Android.
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Pebblebee is launching its latest batch of Android Find Hub trackers, with the Clip 5 tracker getting two new color variants in a “Freeze Frame” drop.
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Motorola MA1 remains the only “official” wireless Android Auto adapter, but it’s been available for four years now and is due for an update. Now, it seems like a sequel, “Motorola MA2,” is around the corner.
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Google has announced that YouTube Music is adding a new “AI Playlist” feature that lets users generate new playlists through text prompts, but it’s only for Premium subscribers.
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WhatsApp is now rolling out support for video and voice calls through its web app, bringing support for calls to your computer and other devices.
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Samsung has released a new beta update for One UI 8.5 on the Galaxy S25 series, with the Android 16-based update delivering just a few small tweaks and fixes.
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Back in 2018, Samsung’s big new camera feature on the Galaxy S9 was the ability to change the physical aperture of the camera on the fly, and now, it might be making a comeback, thanks to Apple.
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In a controversial move, Discord today announced that it will restrict all user accounts globally unless users verify their age either by way of face or ID scan.
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Early tests have revealed that the upcoming wave of Windows laptops powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X2 Elite are up to the challenge of competing with the latest MacBooks, and even beating them in a lot of cases.
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As expected, Nothing Phone (4a) is gearing up to add a splash of color, with a new teaser showing what we’ll be getting.
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Last month, OpenAI announced that ChatGPT would start testing ads in a move that CEO Sam Altman had previously called “a last resort” for the company, and now those ads are apparently going to start rolling out.
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The Google Home experience brings a lot to the table, but it’s also infamously overlooked some features that have taken years to address. As more updates continue to improve on what Google Home can do, what do you want to see next?
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After it first showed up for user a couple of weeks ago, Google has confirmed that its Gemini in Chrome browser features are now available to Chromebook owners, but only those on a Chromebook Plus model.
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After introducing little bits and pieces last year, Telegram’s new update on Android is going all-in on Liquid Glass with new design elements throughout the UI in what is a pretty major redesign.
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Google is handing out a $20 discount to some YouTube TV subscribers which lasts for four months – a total of $80 off of the service – but it’s pretty hit or miss on if you’ll have the offer at all.
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While it, sadly, looks like the Galaxy S26 series will be missing out on built-in Qi2 magnets, Samsung seems to still have a wireless charging spec upgrade in store for its new devices.
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If you’ve noticed that HDR formats including Dolby Vision have suddenly stopped working on Disney+, you’re not alone, and it’s actually an intentional change.
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If you’ve purchased a product from Fairphone in recent years, a strange email might have appeared in your inbox, and you’re not alone – but it wasn’t a data breach.
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Google appears to be adding a new “high-contrast” setting for the Pixel’s At a Glance widget, a long-standing request of many.
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The numbers are in, and it seems Google’s Pixel 9a was a hit among the holidays in a US smartphone market that Apple dominated even more than it usually does.
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Google is rolling out Android Auto 16.1 widely as the latest beta, Android Auto 16.2, hints at what is coming next.
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Samsung’s Galaxy S26 series was expected to deliver on a few key upgrades that were long overdue, but that all went out the window last year when Samsung apparently decided to go all-in on avoiding a price hike. Despite killing those upgrades, though, leaks suggest that the price is going up anyway.
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The 2025 smartphone market ended on a high note, acting as the calm before the storm with brands including Google Pixel, Nothing, and Honor being among the fastest-growing smartphone brands of the year.
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