Following prior testing, Google Discover is keeping AI headlines around as they “perform well” with users.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Discover makes messy AI headlines a ‘feature’ because they ‘perform well’
Author
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
Google and Epic Games struck a secretive $800 million deal, ‘helping Google market Android’
As revealed in the ongoing court saga, Google and Epic Games have apparently struck a new deal that involves Android, Unreal Engine, and some sort of “product development,” and it’s going to remain a secret for the time being.
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1Password will now warn you of potential phishing scams before they steal your password
1Password is launching new phishing protection tools in its browser extension to help users avoid scams that, as the company puts it, are being “supercharged” by AI.
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TCL is preparing Android 14 updates for its Google TV lineup – what’s new
TCL’s Google TV lineup is about to get a fresh Android 14 update, with a couple of new features in tow.
Expand Expanding CloseWaze says it is rolling out ‘new’ features including speed bump, speed limit warnings
In a teaser sent out to its users, Waze has confirmed a handful of new features that are rolling out soon including speed bump warnings and more.
Expand Expanding CloseYou can try the Galaxy Z TriFold in these US stores starting January 23
Ahead of its full debut, Samsung is letting potential buyers try out the Galaxy Z TriFold in select US stores starting on January 23 – here’s the full list.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Home will finally fix that annoying offline lights bug
If you’ve opened the Google Home app in the past few weeks, you’ve probably been greeted with an “offline” status for your lights. Google is finally acknowledging the problem, with a fix coming eventually.
Expand Expanding CloseSpotify brings AI-powered ‘Prompted Playlists’ to US and Canada – how to use it [Gallery]
Following a limited rollout last year, Spotify is bringing its AI-powered “Prompted Playlists” to listeners in the US and Canada.
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Threads will start showing ads to all users next week
Meta has announced that, starting “next week,” its Twitter/X competitor Threads will begin showing ads to all users.
Expand Expanding CloseSamsung leaks Galaxy S26 Ultra ‘Privacy Display’ while showing off new Good Lock features
Samsung recently took to its website to share a huge set of new updates to its Good Lock suite of features coming in One UI 8.5, but inadvertently, confirmed one of the biggest Galaxy S26 Ultra features in the process.
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Nothing’s Essential Space now connects ‘Related Captures’
Nothing just announced another new tweak to its Essential Space feature, with the AI app now able to automatically connect related items to make everything just a little easier to find.
Expand Expanding CloseAndroid Find Hub trackers continue to add dual-network support with iPhone
Over the past several months we’ve seen a trend in trackers for Android Find Hub, where more and more options are adding dual-network support with the iPhone, and another name in the game, Rolling Square, has also made the switch.
Expand Expanding CloseSamsung’s Qi2 battery bank leaks, designed around the Galaxy S26 camera bump [Gallery]
Following a previous appearance, a new leak again shows off Samsung’s upcoming Qi2 battery bank for the Galaxy S26 series and how it’s been designed to work around the phone’s camera bump.
Expand Expanding CloseOnePlus confirms sensationalist shutdown report is false
OnePlus has come out to confirm that it is not shutting down following an “unverified” and “unsubstantiated” article that claimed the company was on a fast path to shutting down. However, that was obvious given that the article itself had absolutely no new information to share.
Expand Expanding CloseGalaxy S26 Ultra color lineup looks pretty boring, and didn’t even copy iPhone orange
New leaks have revealed the likely lineup for Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra colors, and it sounds pretty tame.
Expand Expanding CloseAndroid Auto 16.0 update rolling out more widely with new media player redesign [Gallery]
Google is rolling out a redesign to the media player on Android Auto alongside the latest widely available updates.
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OnePlus update starts bricking phones when you try to install older software
OnePlus has implemented new anti-rollback methods in OxygenOS, forcing users to stay on the latest software versions with no way to go back.
Expand Expanding Close‘Gemini in Chrome’ browser integration is starting to arrive for Chromebooks
A few months after it landed on other platforms, “Gemini in Chrome” is finally starting to appear on ChromeOS.
Expand Expanding CloseRealme teases new phone with 10,001 mAh battery following questionable Oppo merger
Realme has started showing off the Realme P4 Power, a new smartphone with an absolutely massive 10,001 mAh battery that’s due to launch later this month, and also be the first device coming out of the company following a merge with Oppo.
Expand Expanding CloseVerizon carriers start switching to 365-day device unlock policy, up from 60 days
After the FCC lifted a restriction on how soon carriers need to unlock devices, Verizon has extended its device unlock policy to a whopping 365 days.
Expand Expanding CloseSamsung deleted its Bixby reboot reveal, but confirmed when it will arrive
Samsung announced its big Bixby reboot earlier today, but has since deleted the post entirely.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle just killed the last of Stadia
Google has taken the Stadia Controller conversion tool offline, killing the final remnant of the cloud gaming platform.
Expand Expanding CloseNova Launcher has a new lease on life, and that probably means ads are coming
Nova Launcher, one of the most popular third-party Android launchers, was thought to be all but dead, but now has new ownership and the promise of future support. The catch is obvious.
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How to take pictures of the Northern Lights with Google Pixel and other Android phones
The Northern Lights have been visible in huge portions of the Northern Hemisphere due to stronger geomagnetic storms. Here’s how to take a picture of the Northern Lights using a Google Pixel smartphone or other Android devices.
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