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
Just a few weeks after YouTube killed off its Clips feature, Spotify is essentially bringing it back to life as a way to share segments of your favorite podcasts through a simple link.
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Quietly launched this week, Walmart is launching its third camera as a part of Google Home’s “Gemini built in” program, with a new $35 outdoor wired camera.
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MediaTek has just announced its new Dimensity 8550 chipset, a minor update in most ways, but with the foundational support needed for Android devices that support Gemini Intelligence.
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According to a new report, Samsung could end up raising prices on its Galaxy phones as soon as next month.
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XREAL is spinning off a sub-brand, “XBX,” which will launch more affordable AR glasses starting with the $299 a01, coming soon to the US.
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Roku has just unveiled its biggest home screen redesign in years with a new “Top Picks” row on top, and AI to organize your apps, among other updates.
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Following the discovery that Motorola phones were hijacking the Amazon app to inject affiliate data, Motorola has confirmed to 9to5Google that it has ended the behavior, which it says was “unintended.”
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Google Health has replaced the Fitbit app and, with that, the major redesign has rolled out widely. Many Fitbit users are frustrated with the change and, in a new roadmap, we’re getting an overview of fixes and improvements coming to the Google Health app.
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New data from Q1 2026 offers a look at the US smartphone market where Google Pixel has solidified a #4 spot, but saw its shipments drop year-over-year, with only around 800,000 devices shipped during the first quarter.
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Amazon is building out VegaOS as a new base for Fire TV products, but that’s not stopping new Android-based versions from landing. In developer documentation, Amazon has confirmed that Android 16 is coming to Amazon Fire TV.
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Wallet trackers might be the most useful devices you can use with Android’s Find Hub network, and KeySmart’s new option has twice the battery life of many others.
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The Google Health app is replacing the Fitbit app, with the update having started rolling out over the past week. As Fitbit Air pre-orders land on doorsteps, Google has confirmed that it has sped up the rollout since it is required to pair the new fitness tracker.
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Luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz is teaming up with Chipolo to offer a special key tracker that works with Android Find Hub and Apple Find My.
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A truly bizarre situation on Motorola phones has led to the software hijacking the Amazon app to inject an affiliate code – even on the $1,900 Razr Fold.
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Microsoft has confirmed that Samsung Gallery is losing the ability to back up to OneDrive starting later this year.
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Following the introduction of a more affordable new tier, Google One’s AI Ultra plans have been a tiny bit confusing for those looking to switch, but Google is updating the process to make things a bit more clear.
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Google’s latest Nest Learning Thermostat is discounted right now alongside a bunch of Philips Hue gear and more.
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One UI 8.5 is rolling out after months in beta, but some have noticed in the past few days that dark mode looks different in apps on Samsung’s latest Galaxy update.
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A new report from Bloomberg suggests that iOS 27 might add Google Cast integration, among other third-party solutions, as Apple tries to keep the EU off its back.
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If you’re looking to pick up one of Google’s official Pixel 10 series cases, you can get a solid discount through Amazon at the moment.
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One of Samsung’s upcoming foldable phones seems to exist mainly as a counter to Apple’s rumored “iPhone Ultra” and, with the branding for “Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra” having now popped up, it all seems to be coming together – but not in the way you’d think.
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Amid leaks and rumors of “Pixel Glow” on the Pixel 11, many are pointing to a specific shot at Google I/O as the first “official” look at the feature. That’s almost surely not at all true, but it did bring to mind a fun leak wink at a previous Google event.
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AI continues to give me mixed feelings about the future, and that’s top of mind following another Gemini-heavy Google I/O this past week. On the one hand, Google continues to show some of the most practical and useful ideas for AI, but until I can trust it, I struggle to actually get excited about it.
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AI in Google Search can be useful, but it’s also one of those “love it or hate it” tools. If you’ve been wanting to turn AI Overviews in Google Search off, though, there’s a pretty easy way to do that.
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