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
An early, limited leak around Google’s upcoming Pixel 11 series offers some limited details around the Tensor G6 chipset inside, with a mix of good news and bad news.
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After showing up for some users last week, YouTube TV has officially launched its fully custom multiview feature, while also detailing the few places where it won’t work.
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According to a leaker, Samsung might be working on a redesign for its Galaxy S smartphones, but there’s a huge asterisk that might put us in the same situation as the Galaxy S26 series was left in.
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Following an expansion from Pixel to Samsung Galaxy, Google’s support for AirDrop over Quick Share is now showing up on more Android phones, starting with two models from Oppo and Vivo.
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MediaTek has launched a new duo of Dimensity chipsets, with one of the new arrivals designed specifically for foldable phones.
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Amid opposition from employees, Google has signed a deal with the Pentagon which will allow the US government to use the company’s AI for “any lawful” purpose.
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Ecovacs, a robot vacuum maker that our sister site 9to5Google covers frequently, has just announced that it is enacting “permanent” price cuts to most of its lineup, and they’re not small either.
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Digital ID support in Google Wallet has been slowly expanding within US states and, more recently, with passports in select countries. Now, Google Wallet is adding digital ID support in India.
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New data shows how Google TV has taken over the smart TV market in Europe and, despite moves from other platforms, that’s probalby not changing anytime soon.
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Many have thrown around the idea that AI will replace the smartphone, but it seems even OpenAI disagrees as the company is working on its own smartphone that focuses on the use of AI agents.
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A lawsuit filed against Samsung seeks damages and a permanent injunction against Galaxy foldables in the US, but whether or not that will actually happen remains to be seen.
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Spotify – yes, the music app – is expanding into video workouts in a new partnership with Peloton, and there’s a pretty big advantage over Fitbit here already.
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Over the weekend, 9to5Google published an early look at Google’s new icons for Workspace apps such as Gmail and Drive and, already, someone has recreated the new look so you can use them early.
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An updated deal between OpenAI and Microsoft will see the ChatGPT owner able to serve all of its products via cloud providers other than Microsoft.
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Samsung’s upcoming foldable lineup includes its first new mainstream form factor in years, as the “Wide” device enters the fold (ba dum) as a second book-style device. In a new leak of dummy units, we’re getting a better look at just how different the Galaxy Z Fold 8 “Wide” will be.
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After weeks of leaks from retail stores, Walmart’s new Onn 4K Pro and Onn 4K streaming stick with Google TV are just about ready to launch, and now live for many more customers.
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There are a lot of reasons I love using a Google Pixel phone, but voice-to-text might just be the most underrated upgrade on these devices. Every time I use a Pixel, without fail, I struggle to switch back to literally any other Android device in part because the voice-to-text experience is just so much worse. But, finally, there’s a brighter future in view.
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An errant message heard by some Google Home users seemed to imply that automations were going away – which would have been crazy. Thankfully, that’s not the case, but Google Home is doing away with its phone-related actions soon.
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The Galaxy Z Fold 8 sounds pretty familiar based on initial leaks, but Samsung is apparently making a tweak to the selfie camera cutout that sounds interesting, but I’m curious if it’s something anyone really cares about.
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In a handy new tweak rolling out now, Google Maps now shows more prominent street labels on Android Auto.
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Anthropic this week announced that Claude is adding integration with a ton of third-party services including Spotify, Uber, Resy, and others.
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Laptops powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X2 chipsets are starting to hit the market, but Samsung’s Galaxy Book 6 Edge has just leaked with a major change – it’ll no longer be available in a smaller size.
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Last year, Google TV device maker Thomson made headlines for reviving the form factor of Google’s Chromecast, but the company is now in a tough spot where it’s unable to sell device to customers in its main market of Europe.
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Google is preparing a massive investment in Anthropic, the company behind Claude, despite its own Gemini model competing with the AI company.
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