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.
After announcing in 2021 for Workspace Individual, Google is now bringing Calendar appointment scheduling to personal accounts while Gmail is adding interactive schedule sharing inside emails.
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The last time a Google ad explicitly went after the iPhone was in 2019 with “Phone X.” Google is back with a “Best Phones Forever” campaign of five ads that highlight what features the Pixel has over the iPhone.
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Reports emerged last month about a bug that made it seem WhatsApp for Android was always using the microphone. Google today acknowledged the issue and a straightforward fix.
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Google Workspace is making a small but key change that will let you see who has requested access to a file directly in Docs, Sheets, and Slides.
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This week on Alphabet Scoop, we review the Pixel Tablet. It’s been a long time coming and Google made a good Android tablet at the end of the day with a unique Nest Hub add-on that will give you meaningfully more functionality.
Since launch, one big complaint of the Pixel Watch is how it does not sync Bedtime Modes, and Google is now working to add that along with Do Not Disturb.
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Back in April, Google started letting users redeem Play Points for “Lifestyle” items and the newest piece of company merch is an Android Plush.
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With the Pixel Tablet now available, Google today released Android 13 factory images with the June 2023 security patch.
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Google is updating Chrome on iOS to better integrate with Calendar, Translate, and Lens, with a mini Google Maps experience being particularly interesting.
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As teased at I/O 2023 last month, Google Weather is getting a Material You redesign, and it’s appearing first on the Pixel Tablet.
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Google looks to be continuing the 7a’s four color lineup for the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro with a leak today revealing their internal names and corresponding wallpapers.
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I’d like to believe that Google’s modern hardware division could have released a tablet primarily for content consumption – like the Nexus 7 – at any time since its inception in 2016 but just chose not to. Made by Google’s high-level MO is to add unique aspects to its products. On the Pixel Slate, that was deemed to be productivity, and it did not work. In trying again with the Pixel Tablet, Google clearly still believes it needs something unique, and that’s how we have a Nest Hub Smart Display UI sitting – literally – on top of Android.
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The current Google Wallet app is very simple with a lot of empty space that a compact-focused upcoming redesign looks to address.
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The interface for typing and sending messages in a chat app has been on my mind lately given Google’s addition of Magic Compose (too crowded) and the redesign Apple is doing in iOS 17 (too simple).
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Pixel Camera Services lets third-party apps take advantage of Night Sight, and the 1.1 update adds autofocus, manual focus, and zoom capabilities.
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Google sent out an “update to Album Archive” email today informing users that an old photo gallery UI related to Hangouts is going away next month.
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9to5Google has a rebooted newsletter that highlights the biggest Google stories with added commentary and other tidbits. Sign up to get it early in your inbox, or continue reading 9to5Google Log Out below:
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At I/O 2023 last month, Google previewed “Project Tailwind” as an “AI-first notebook” and early access is now coming “soon” with a new name, too.
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YouTube Music is getting a big redesign on the web that adopts a navigation drawer with very quick access to playlists.
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In an unexpected announcement today, Google Domains is “winding down following a transition period,” with Squarespace taking over the business and assets.
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When the Pixel Fold was announced at I/O 2023, Google said it would be available in June and those that pre-ordered got a precise date. The Google Store now looks to be delaying when the Pixel Fold will ship.
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More than a few Google Pixel and Samsung owners today are reporting that their contacts are missing and have disappeared from their Android phone.
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This week on Alphabet Scoop, we talk all about the June 2023 Feature Drop for Pixel phones and the Pixel Watch. It’s a substantial update with meaningful additions after a more quiet release earlier this year.
Last week, Nest Cam owners started noticing washed out colors and what seemed to be degraded video quality. Google today is detailing a new update for battery-powered Nest Cams and the Nest Doorbell that improves HDR and makes “other image quality enhancements.”
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