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.
Recent updates to Gboard have focused on tablet and foldables optimizations, while everyone benefited from the toolbar redesign. Gboard 13.3 reveals work on new features like a stylus handwriting mode, compact voice typing UI, and generative AI stickers. This version is still in beta and none of the functionality we spotted is yet live.
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Following the announcement at the end of last month, Android is widely rolling out “Unknown tracker alerts” for detecting AirTags that might have been nefariously placed on you.
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Fitbit announced its redesigned Android and iOS app with Material You last week. Ahead of that fall launch, in-progress Fitbit Guided Programs are going away, but the functionality will be present in Coach.
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Previewed last year, Google is now offering an e-signature feature in Docs and Drive for Workspace Individual customers, while it’s coming soon to select tiers.
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Besides the updated ‘&’ logo, Google today detailed a redesign of Arts & Culture for Android, while marking the occasion with Poem Postcards.
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Google has put out some relatively small phones, but they were never really true mini or compact devices. Rather, they were just on the smaller side of average, with the new design language introduced by the Pixel 6 increasing the display dimensions. I’ve mostly been using the Pixel Fold as Google’s smallest phone (by screen size) in the current lineup, and it’s been interesting.
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To better address the security patch gap, Google announced today that Chrome is now adopting weekly Stable channel updates.
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Following last month’s announcement, Google Calendar for Android is now rolling out a Material You redesign of its two homescreen widgets.
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After testing group end-to-end encryption for the past few months, Google Messages has now fully rolled it out and is enabling RCS by default.
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Ahead of Android 14’s stable launch, Google is detailing “first-of-its-kind” cellular connectivity security features in the release.
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Since 2016, you have been able to use Facebook/Meta’s Messenger as an SMS app on Android. That integration is now set to go away next month.
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While we wait for the big Material You app redesign announced last week, Fitbit for Android has ever so slightly tweaked its app icon to be smaller.
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The Pixel Watch’s August 2023 update is again on the minor side with just the latest security patch included.
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The first update for the Pixel Fold last month was just focused on bumping the security patch level, with today’s August release being a more substantial bug fixer. Google also continues to address some Pixel Tablet issues.
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While we wait for the next major version of Google’s mobile OS to hit stable, the Android 13 August update for the Pixel 4a, 4a 5G, 5, 5a, 6, 6 Pro, 6a, 7, 7 Pro, 7a, and Fold is rolling out today.
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Google Stores in the Asia-Pacific region are kicking off the company’s 25th anniversary sale on August 8. For those not buying anything, Google Japan has created a birthday wallpaper for Pixel phones marking the occasion.
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According to a new rumor today, the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro will both get five case colors each in a continuation of the trend introduced by the Pixel 7a.
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Following the Material You redesign, GPay is readying another change that consolidates the app to just two tabs in the bottom bar.
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Google Search has a number of built-in tools from its dictionary to a metronome and multi-sided die, with the most recent addition letting you check grammar on mobile and desktop.
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Compared to recent Google products, the price of the Pixel Fold and Tablet are pretty contentious. With the Pixel Tablet just now seeing its first discount and the Fold being more widely available, we want to know how much you would pay for each.
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After giving the Pixel Tablet its first discount, the US Google Store has a new round of deals that brings the Pixel 6a to $199.
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Back in May, 9to5Google reported that the Pixel Watch 2 would switch to a Snapdragon chip, get over a day of battery life, and offer Fitbit’s cEDA and skin temperature sensor, while we later revealed the use of aluminum. Additional Pixel Watch 2 specs have leaked, like how Google will use the same size screen.
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Mongolia has a Vision 2050 initiative that involves universal connectivity and “embracing technology in their school systems.” As part of that, Google and Mongolia are working to provide “every child and educator with access to online learning devices,” specifically Chromebooks.
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Getting iPhone owners to switch to Android is Google’s perennial aim, and its latest advertising campaign is trying an “It’s all good” approach/tagline.
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