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
Samsung is finally bringing some major changes to the Galaxy Z Fold 7 this year, and the first hands-on leak is showing off just how different it will be.
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Rumors have been back and forth, but a new report claims that Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 7 will indeed run on top of the Exynos 2500 chip.
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Google has been working on support for Bluetooth’s Auracast function in Android for a while now, and now “Audio Sharing” has returned, hopefully for good, in Android 16 QPR1.
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Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is getting a big redesign as we’ve heard previously, and now leaked renders are showing just how different it will be.
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Volvo and Google have announced a new deal that will bring new Android Automotive features to Volvo’s vehicles faster, starting with Gemini support.
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Among the many visual updates in Android 16, there are also some functional changes, including the return of a one-tap Do Not Disturb function in the Quick Settings.
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The well-known watch face app Facer was forced to depart from Wear OS last year, but it’s coming back soon with some big changes.
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Google One is seeing one of its plan options vanish, with the cost of adding more storage past 10TB immediately jumping by a whopping $200 – but that’s only what it looks like at first.
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Android XR will see its debut on Samsung’s “Project Moohan” headset, but we’re now getting a first look at the second option, XREAL’s “Project Aura.”
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After launching in the US and select other regions earlier this year, YouTube Premium Lite is now expanding to a few more countries – here’s the full list.
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Google’s first preview of Wear OS 6 has arrived, with some major redesigns in tow. Here’s a first look.
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Alongside the initial reveal of Google TV’s Android 16 update, Google is also announcing some changes to apps for TVs, which include new pop-ups that will ask you for app ratings.
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One of Android 16’s new features is “Live Updates” and we’re finally getting a peak into how they’ll work for apps like Google Maps and Uber Eats, but we might also be waiting longer than expected to start using them.
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Google has revealed that Android Auto is about to get more apps, including wider access to weather apps, and the arrival of video and browser apps in the future.
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Google has been working on a “desktop mode” for Android 16 for a while now and at Google I/O’s developer talks, the company confirmed that these improvements have arrived in part thanks to Samsung DeX.
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Google Pixel phones are picking up a new customization option for wallpapers, with “Effects” in Android 16 able to turn a wallpaper into a specific shape and color style, as well as applying weather effects on top.
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While Android TV OS updates usually don’t bring much to the Google TV experience, this latest update does deliver a splash of Material 3 Expressive design elements, mostly in the Settings menu.
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Among the many updates in Android 16 QPR1’s big redesign is a new look for notifications which includes more prominent shortcuts for settings, history, and also an updated lock screen layout too.
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Google is finally delivering an update to the At a Glance widget on Pixel devices in Android 16 QPR1, making the widget smaller, but still not allowing it to be disabled completely.
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Google is teasing new features for AI Mode, including the ability for it to act as an agent of the web on your behalf, completing research in the background to save you time, and it looks pretty handy.
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Google is bringing its new AI Mode in Search to all users in the United States, and bringing a ton of new features, including camera access, a custom version of Gemini under the hood, Gmail integration, and more.
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Right as it signs a deal with Qualcomm for the use of Snapdragon chips, Xiaomi has just confirmed that it will use its own XRING 01 chip in its next smartphone and tablet release.
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After teasing it earlier this month, the Nothing Phone (3) now has an official release window, with the device launching in July 2025.
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Qualcomm and Xiaomi have announced a new deal that will see Snapdragon chips continue to be used in Xiaomi smartphones, all while a new option is on the horizon.
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