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.
The Google app on Android has rolled out an updated “Finance Watchlist” widget that offers a pair of usability tweaks following its mid-to-late 2023 introduction.
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Fitbit is testing a 2-month program/study called “Walkmate” that uses personalized daily notifications to “help you walk more and stay active.”
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Speedometer has long been Google’s preferred benchmark, previously noting how it’s the “most reflective of the real world” when comparing JavaScript performance. Speedometer 3.0 is now available.
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Back in September, Google introduced an updated wordmark and 3D robot design for Android. That new wordmark is appearing on Pixel devices with the Android 14 QPR3 Beta.
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With Android 14 QPR1 in December, Google officially introduced “Battery information” on Pixel devices. With the Android 14 QPR2 Pixel update going stable earlier this week, the battery page disappeared and Google has since confirmed that it was an intended removal instead of being a bug.
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In 2022, Google opened its Bay View campus in Mountain View, California after nearly five years of construction. The Google office, which houses employees working on AI, has a striking tent-like design and bad Wi-Fi.
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The service people most want from Google One is YouTube Premium. That is the holy grail for a Google subscription and calls for it will only increase now that Nest Aware and Fitbit Premium are coming — starting in the UK — at no extra cost.
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Welcome to the first episode of Pixelated, a podcast by 9to5Google — yes, that is a reference. We talk about our Pixel Watch 3 and Pixel Buds Pro 2 scoop, the March 2024 Feature Drop, and Google One.
Besides using Live View and your camera for VPS, Google has a new device orientation solution for Android map developers with the Fused Orientation Provider (FOP) API in Play services.
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Google’s next preview of Android 14 QPR3 is available today, and we are diving into Beta 2 to find what new features have been introduced.
However, do not install by sideloading.
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There appears to be issues with sideloading Android 14 QPR3 Beta 2 today. Following the release, three Pixel devices we tried installing the release on are stuck at the Google logo.
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With QPR2 now stable (and Android 15 DP1 underway), Google is continuing the next quarterly update cycle with Android 14 QPR3 Beta 2.
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During The Android Show today, Google shared more about Gemini Nano, including how it won’t be coming to the Pixel 8.
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After dropping the bottom bar and swapping out Nearby Share, Files by Google is adding a document scanner shortcut that looks and works exactly like the one available in Google Drive.
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The Wikipedia app has long offered widgets, but they haven’t been refreshed in quite a while and look like something from the early days of Android. An update today greatly modernizes the design.
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As part of complying with the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), Google Play is getting an opt-in “external offers” program for Android apps and games across phones, tablets, Wear OS, ChromeOS, and Android TV.
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Google is launching “a more precise way for you to tune Gemini’s responses” on the web app.
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In a significant expansion, Google One now includes Fitbit Premium and Nest Aware, which we previously reported. This is starting in the UK.
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Some Google Pixel owners are having issues with Gboard either being a tiny window or the proper size but with a very small font.
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Following Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, the Waymo One ride-hailing service is coming next to Austin, with fully autonomous testing starting tomorrow.
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YouTube Music is my streaming service of choice followed by Apple Music. Music is important to both companies given YouTube’s role in music videos and the iPod, but it’s far from the core business.
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Google today announced a new text-to-speech (TTS) engine for Wear OS 4 (and higher) that is faster and more reliable.
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In June of 2021, Microsoft announced that Android apps are officially coming to Windows 11. This Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) is now being deprecated.
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Google Fi introduced “Simply Unlimited” in 2021 and the plan is now seeing a price increase if you have three or more members.
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