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’s foldables aren’t growing as quickly as the company hoped for, and apparently there are plans for a more affordable Galaxy Z Flip in 2025 alongside additional variants of the Galaxy S25 and Galaxy Z Fold 7.
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Google’s Pixel smartphones have steadily been growing over the past few years, but new data claims that the company saw 3x growth in North America in just one month, and that seems way too good to be true.
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A handy tweak to the Google TV homescreen shows app update progress as an update is ongoing.
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Rolling out now, Quick Share on Android now shows a percentage to make it more clear the status of an ongoing file transfer.
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Google’s new remote for the Google TV Streamer has some clear upgrades, but when it comes to the volume buttons, I strongly feel the Chromecast got it right the first time around.
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Wyze has just launched its latest smart weight scale, the Wyze Scale Ultra, which costs $50 and has a color display among other new features.
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The updated “Freeplay” app on Google TV is a much better experience for the platform’s free channels, but it disappeared recently, and Google says it won’t be back for a little while.
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In-display fingerprint sensors have become commonplace in virtually all Android smartphones, for better or for worse, and five years later we’re finally seeing the ultrasonic variety widely used by more devices.
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Google’s Quick Share is AirDrop for Android, but there’s some loose evidence that it could be coming to Apple’s iOS and macOS platforms at some point.
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Samsung is rolling out its October 2024 update to Galaxy smartphones and tablets, but without the big Android 15 update that’s started rolling out elsewhere.
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Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset is impressive on paper, but there might be a problem in practice, as early tests with one of the first devices using the chip have revealed some overheating problems.
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Samsung’s Android 15 release, One UI 7, isn’t officially releasing until next year, but the company is apparently gearing up to launch a beta program in November.
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The Walmart Onn 4K Pro is a stellar Google TV set-top box, but with pretty slow Ethernet and, now, an update has broken a method of upgrading those speeds.
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After launching in beta earlier this month, Mozilla has officially launched its long-awaited email app Thunderbird on Android.
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After being announced earlier this year as “SearchGPT,” OpenAI has today officially launched ChatGPT Search, a new AI-powered search engine.
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After a lot of teasers, the OnePlus 13 is finally official in China, which tells us everything we need to know about the device ahead of its global debut.
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Google’s latest Android figure is an adorable holiday-themed “Bot” that’s wearing a sweater and beanie.
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Google has started enforcing new Android Auto requirements more widely, with older phones running into a message that they “no longer support” the useful platform.
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Samsung has reportedly started working on a “Slim” version of its upcoming Galaxy S25 flagship ahead of Apple’s plans for a thinner iPhone 17.
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Barely a month after its debut, Google TV seems to have rolled back its new Freeplay app for free channels on some devices.
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Alongside its latest earnings, Samsung has started teasing plans for 2025, including the Galaxy S25 series, the long-awaited XR device, and a cheaper foldable as well.
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A screenshot of the YouTube homepage with videos that don’t show upload dates or view counts has been shared across social media this week, but YouTube says the new layout isn’t official.
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The Honor Magic 6 Pro was one of the best Android phones of 2024, and its sequel, the Magic 7 Pro, was just announced in China ahead of a global launch in the future.
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Likely ahead of a beta announcement, a new One UI 7 leak has revealed some of the features Samsung will launch on Galaxy devices alongside Android 15.
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