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
After a few years of flip phone-only foldables, Motorola is finally releasing a book-style device in the Razr Fold. I’ve been keen to use it after a couple of early looks at trade shows earlier this year and, now that I’ve been using it as my main phone for the past week, I’m sold – the Motorola Razr Fold isn’t just good, it might be the best foldable*.
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Motorola’s new Razr foldables are now available for pre-order in the US, with flip phones and the book-style Razr Fold shipping later this month.
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Ahead of the upcoming release of Google Home Speaker, a new “Google Home Display” has appeared in Google app code, suggesting a new Nest Hub-esque device is in the works.
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Google announced yesterday that its implementation of AirDrop support in Android’s Quick Share will be coming to more Android phones, including a list of what devices are confirmed for support.
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Google’s “Gemini Intelligence” updates for Android might arrive on Samsung’s new Galaxy Z Fold 8 and other foldables first, a new report claims.
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Google’s refreshed emoji designs left many wondering if AI generation was involved, but Android 17’s 3D emoji are, in fact, “hand-modeled.”
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Sony’s latest flagship is here, with the new Xperia 1 VIII offering some powerful specs for the usual lofty price tag, this time with a major hardware redesign.
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A new report shows that, perhaps even more so than usual, Apple’s iPhone is dominating phone sales in the US market, but Google Pixel is apparently holding onto its sliver.
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Samsung is rolling out the first beta update for One UI 9 which, for Galaxy devices, will bring Android 17 under the hood, and the changelog reveals that not much is actually going on here – at least not yet.
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Adobe’s Premiere app is finally heading to Android, with Google providing a slightly more specific timeline compared to what Adobe previously left us with.
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According to a new report, Samsung is set to bring its first pair of Android XR-powered glasses, “Galaxy Glasses,” and a new Galaxy Watch 9 to its July 22 event that will also launch the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and other foldables.
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Android’s upcoming desktop OS experience is set to power “Googlebook” laptops in the not-too-distant future, and a 16-minute video has revealed some of the features found in this platform including its Android roots, some familiar ChromeOS features, and desktop-style features like folders on the desktop and terminal.
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Google’s Material You is finally getting an update everyone has been asking for – the ability to pick custom colors, as showcased in a new leak.
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During The Android Show earlier today, Google revealed its “Googlebook” project that will replace Chromebooks, but with so much mystery around what’s to come, there are a lot of questions, but only a few answers. Here are a few additional details.
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Google is delivering some major Android Auto updates over the course of 2026, including support for video apps and new Gemini features.
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Google is introducing a new collection of emoji in Android 17 that delivers 3D textures for the entire catalog of emoji in Android and other Google products, but it’s abundantly clear that the beloved blobs are never coming back.
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Google has announced an incoming redesign for Android Auto that, while not a major leap forward, improves support for car displays, brings in a bit of Material 3 Expressive, and supports widgets.
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Pebblebee is continuing its lineup of colorful Android Find Hub trackers, with the Clip 5 now getting a “Heatwave Hijinks” release that includes new orange and blue colors.
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Spotify’s end-of-year “Wrapped” is a fun way to look back on the past year of tunes, but the app is now rolling out “Party of the Year(s)” as a recap of your entire streaming history.
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New findings reveal that Walmart has yet another Google TV streaming stick launching soon, but this one doesn’t have any changes you as a buyer would actually care about.
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Samsung will officially launch One UI 9, its Android 17 build, in beta for Galaxy S26 devices later this week.
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Yet another Google Home update rolling out this week speeds up Gemini while adding “Ask Home” functionality to voice commands and more.
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Some Spotify users have noticed that Google Cast (Chromecast) devices are not showing up in Connect when trying to start playback on a nearby speaker, and the issue is under investigation.
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Samsung has gotten much faster at software updates over the past few years, but One UI 8.5 is an odd case, only now rolling out after over five months in beta.
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