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
The Wear OS-based Galaxy Watch 4 picked up a new update earlier this week with new fitness features and some other tweaks, but it also seems to have broken with some third-party watch faces.
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While the Galaxy S22 series was the clear focus of Samsung’s latest launch event, it also ushered in a new king for the Android tablet market. The Galaxy Tab S8 offers a pretty compelling package, and as it turns out, demand is so high that pre-orders have been paused in the United States.
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Google TV’s goal is to make it easy for you to find the content you want without worrying about what app it’s on. That strength may be put to the test in the coming months, as NBC is preparing to remove its content from Hulu and the Marvel shows, including “Daredevil,” are about to leave Netflix.
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Google Stadia is preparing a bunch of new games to come to the service, and next weekend the platform is offering up the fun Jackbox Party Pack 7 for free.
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A few weeks back, concept renders revealed that Google was working on a new “Tap to Transfer” feature in Android 13 for speakers and other devices. Now, in the first developer preview, we’ve been able to turn on the feature so you can see what it looks like.
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User-facing changes in Android 13’s first developer preview were relatively minor, but there’s much more to come. We’ve been able to enable a few new features Google is still working on in Android 13, including a new lockscreen user profile switcher.
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Earlier this week Samsung revealed a new update coming to the Galaxy Watch 4 series that would deliver sleep coaching, custom interval training, and more features. Now, that major February update for the Galaxy Watch 4 is rolling out widely, and it comes with a more detailed changelog that reveals the ability to set the orientation for the left or right wrist.
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Android 12L was all about preparing “stock” Android for foldables and improving the experience on bigger screens. Now, in the first developer preview for Android 13, we’re getting a first look at the Pixel Launcher’s new ability to support multiple display layouts on one device, almost certainly for future foldables.
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Android is getting better for bigger screens thanks to improvements in Android 12L, and it seems Google is expanding on that experience. In the first developer preview for Android 13, we can now see that the taskbar has grown and now shows “suggested” apps.
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Google did away with public-facing desert names with the release of Android 10, but they’re still used internally. It’s been known for some time that Android 13 is called “Tiramisu,” and now Google is explicitly using that name in the first developer preview.
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Android has long featured the ability to have multiple user profiles on the same device, effectively allowing someone to share a phone or tablet without allowing access to each other’s data. In Android 13, Google is adding the ability for guest profiles to get access to apps already installed on the device.
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The first preview of Android 13 has arrived, and with it some new tweaks to how the OS we’ve come to know and love. Included in the first developer preview of Android 13 is Google’s new system-wide photo picker, which is meant to streamline the experience.
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Thanks to the popularity and power of the iPad, it’s not uncommon for some professional-level utilities to make their way to iOS before Android. After announcing its Android version last year, LumaFusion has confirmed that it will debut on Android in the first half of 2022.
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The Galaxy S22 Ultra is a Note by another name, but its most unique design aspect is easily the five circular camera-related cutouts on the back of the device. In a new ad, Samsung is fully embracing how that design reminds one of a spider.
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Surrounding its Galaxy S22 unveil yesterday, Samsung also announced a new update policy that leads the Android market. As it turns out, that policy will also extend to the Galaxy Watch 4, which will be getting Wear OS updates for the next four years.
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Google’s YouTube TV service, despite its high price, is one of the best ways to keep live channels without traditional cable. Now, in an interview, a YouTube TV exec has confirmed that picture-in-picture support is coming to iOS and surround sound will see expanded support too.
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The Pixel 6 ushers in a new era for Google with a new chip under the hood that enables focused performance, specialized software, and longer updates. However, Google’s promise has already been dwarfed by the Galaxy S22, and Samsung isn’t even using special chips there. Google has no excuses left for limiting the Pixel 6 to only three major Android updates.
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There’s a fair bit to get excited about with the Galaxy S22 series, including just the fact that prices didn’t go up. However, quite a few people are having trouble submitting pre-orders on Samsung.com for the Galaxy S22, as the site is crashing.
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Samsung’s latest flagship phones have arrived, with the Galaxy S22 and S22+ delivering moderate upgrades and the Galaxy S22 Ultra the Note reincarnate. You’ve probably learned a lot about these phones from our coverage, but surely there are a few more things you want to know. With nearly a month until it starts shipping, what are you biggest questions about the Galaxy S22 and S22 Ultra?
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Android 12L is Google’s next “big” update for the platform, and it’s focused on improving the experience for bigger screens, including foldables and tablets. Alongside the launch of its Galaxy Tab S8 series today, Samsung has officially confirmed that Android 12L is coming to the company’s tablets … eventually.
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Samsung’s Galaxy S22 series made its debut today, bringing with it a revival of the Galaxy Note in spirit. There’s a lot to know about these new devices, but here are a few little tidbits you might have missed, including where Samsung is actually using recycled materials on the Galaxy S22.
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Android tablets seemingly have a renewed focus inside of Google, but it’s Samsung that has been leading the effort for the past few years. Today, alongside the Galaxy S22 series, Samsung is launching the Galaxy Tab S8, Tab S8+, and massive Tab S8 Ultra. Here’s what you need to know.
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Samsung has been getting better and better when it comes to Android update support, often beating Google’s own Pixel phones on speed and longevity. Now, Samsung has announced that it will offer four years of major Android updates on the Galaxy S22 and some other recent releases.
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The best-selling flagship Android smartphones are back for another round, with the Samsung Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22+ offering minor upgrades from the year before at the same price points. Here’s what’s new.
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