Send tips/talk to abner@9to5mac.com or @technacity (open DMs).
Abner Li has worked at 9to5Google since 2015 and in late 2020 took on the role of editor-in-chief. He is keenly focused on tracking what happens at Google, and is often the first to spot new features in Google’s ever-growing family of applications that are updated on a daily basis, including Search, Assistant, Maps, Workspace, Android, Chrome/OS, Wear OS, and YouTube Music.
To him, what Google does greatly impacts the technology space and modern life. Inside the company, he is particularly interested in the key products mentioned above, as well as services like Google Podcasts and Google Lens. Each are massive platforms that can be unwieldy to grasp, with Abner keenly bent on understanding their philosophy and future direction. He is most excited about Google’s plans for augmented reality glasses.
Abner spearheads the APK Insight program at 9to5Google to chronicle all changes in the company’s Android apps, often finding new features before they are officially announced. This includes redesigns and revamps, launches, and new products.
A big area of interest is Google’s hardware division, including Pixel, Fitbit, and Nest. He detailed all of the Pixel 3’s camera features before launch and scooped the 2nd-generation Nest Hub’s Soli-powered Sleep Sensing capability, including how it would integrate with Google Fit.
Recently, Abner detailed the Pixel Watch’s specs in full before launch, including bands and pricing. He also got wind of the Pixel Tablet’s ultimate form factor.
Earlier this year, Google launched a Circle to Search feature for Android that takes a screenshot and lets you select what to look up. Thanks to Google Lens and iOS Shortcuts, the underlying Circle to Search capability can now be replicated on any iPhone.
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Android Studio, Google’s tool for building apps, is getting a new release cycle that aims to give developers “more frequent, focused updates” with Feature Drops.
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On occasion, you might only search for a website so that you can get the URL to reshare it. The Google app on Android now has a Share button for results in Search.
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The Android 14 May security patch is rolling out today for the Pixel 5a, 6, 6 Pro, 6a, 7, 7 Pro, 7a, Tablet, Fold, 8, and 8 Pro. It’s available a day after the equivalent Pixel Watch update.
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Google’s latest app is the Play Billing Lab, but it’s just for Android developers that need to test their Play Billing Library integration (like in-app purchases).
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In a somewhat unexpected move, Google is announcing the Pixel 8a today ahead of I/O 2024 with the $499 mid-ranger launching on May 14, and we were given an early opportunity to go hands on.
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The Pixel Tablet launched last June and Google is now selling it for $399 with the Charging Speaker Dock no longer included.
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Following the announcement alongside other expressive features last November, Google Messages is now more widely rolling out — especially to beta users — Voice Moods and a redesign of the audio recorder interface with noise cancellation. This follows Google adding voice memo support to the Messages Wear OS app in October.
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Google is rolling out the latest Pixel Watch and Pixel Watch 2 update with the May 2024 security patch today. It is once again coming before the May update on Pixel phones.
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A small change to the Files by Google app sees your “Favorites” renamed to “Starred,” with no change to the functionality.
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Back in March, YouTube started testing “Jump ahead” and is now making it more widely available through youtube.com/new for Premium subscribers.
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Since the launch of Health Connect in 2022, Google has been winding down the Google Fit developer APIs. Earlier this week, the company fully detailed how the “Google Fit APIs have been deprecated and will be supported until June 30, 2025.”
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Welcome to the eighth episode of Pixelated, a podcast by 9to5Google. We talk all about the Humane Ai Pin and Rabbit R1.
At the moment, there are two mainstream wearables: smartwatches and headphones. Smart glasses will be a third when display technology sufficiently advances. The Humane Ai Pin shows the path for a possible fourth wearable form factor, but it’s buried beneath questionable core design decisions and hubris.
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Back in February, Google Maps started testing a big redesign of the Android app. On my devices/account it was pulled after a few weeks, but it’s now rolling back out with some noticeable refinements.
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A small tweak to Google Wallet for Android introduces a straightforward list of all your saved “Payment methods.”
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Google is rolling out ChromeOS 124 with a handful of notable features for Chromebooks over the coming weeks.
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YouTube this afternoon (PT) confirmed that Creators are having an issue uploading videos. Google is aware of the problem and working on a fix.
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Google Meet is rolling out a nice option to hide contact tiles that lack video so your grid isn’t inundated with profile pictures or letters.
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Following Tuesday’s announcement, the Gemini shortcut in desktop Chrome’s address bar has rolled out.
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Google today is more widely alerting Android users in the US and Canada about the Find My Device network launch.
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Google is widely rolling out a new “Government” badge in the Play Store to helpful identify official Android apps.
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To mark World Password Day, Google is highlighting its progress on passkeys, which will soon work with the Advanced Protection Program (APP).
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Updates to Play Books are on the rare side these days, though it got a Material You redesign in March, but Google today is highlighting four new features, including a YouTube integration.
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