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.
Since most companies can’t afford a Jamboard, Series One Board 65, or other large touchscreens, Google Meet hardware is adding support for whiteboard cameras, starting with the Logitech Scribe.
Expand Expanding Close
Given that two out of the last three updates arrived late, we’re not too surprised that Android 13 QPR3 with the June 2023 security patch and the next Pixel Feature Drop is not yet out.
Expand Expanding Close
Given its transcription capabilities, the Pixel Recorder app is billed as being useful for meetings, lectures, band practices, and family memories. However, Google has found that the “majority of these recorder sessions are three minutes or less,” with Pixel owners using the app for short memos.
Expand Expanding Close
As the Android 14 Beta continues, Google is tweaking the Android Beta subreddit feedback process so that submissions are required to specify the Android version and Pixel device.
Expand Expanding Close
Last year, Google Docs on the web finally added a pageless format. That view has long been available in Docs for Android, but Google is now defaulting to a paginated mode.
Expand Expanding Close
While AT&T announced that it would use Google’s Messages app for RCS in June of 2021, the carrier maintained its own backend. That’s now changing with AT&T switching over to Google’s Jibe platform for RCS.
Expand Expanding Close
Google looks to finally be enabling blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) tracking on the Pixel Watch.
Expand Expanding Close
Google’s work on text-to-image generation continues today with an “Imagen Editor” tool that allows for text-guided image editing (or inpainting).
Expand Expanding Close
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:
Expand Expanding Close
This week on Alphabet Scoop, we see what Apple has planned for iOS 17 and watchOS 10. Of course, the star of WWDC 2023 is the Apple Vision Pro and visionOS.
Following the announcement earlier this month, Google Keep has rolled out the Single note Wear OS Tile, while making a few other visual tweaks to the Android app.
Expand Expanding Close
As we spotted a month ago, Google is rolling out the new Play Books app icon on Android along with a navigation rail on tablets.
Expand Expanding Close
Google announced Emoji Wallpapers at I/O 2023, and the customizable background is now starting to appear following yesterday’s Android 14 Beta 3 for some Pixel phones.
Expand Expanding Close
Last week, Google started letting users migrate away from Assistant Reminders to Google Tasks and is now starting the automatic transfer for Workspace users, with personal accounts following soon.
Expand Expanding Close
Google’s continued work to make its Password Manager more prominent continues with a major upgrade on desktop Chrome that’s now rolling out.
Expand Expanding Close
Google News is getting a number of updates focused on improving the local news experience with a revamped Following tab and the launch of News Showcase in the US.
Expand Expanding Close
Back in November, YouTube Music introduced a Now Playing revamp that primarily hid the dislike button. This was rolled back at the start of the year and YouTube Music is now testing a carousel-focused redesign of Now Playing.
Expand Expanding Close
Earlier this year, Chrome added support for more advanced Picture-in-Picture (PiP), and the Google Meet PiP is now taking advantage of that with a big upgrade.
Expand Expanding Close
Android 14 Beta 3 for Pixel phones is now available after the last update four weeks ago was somewhat quiet.
Expand Expanding Close
Google Assistant has not seen too many updates as of late (as the team focuses on Bard and generative AI), but it is now adding two new US English voices.
Expand Expanding Close
Following the onstage announcement at I/O 2023, customizable lockscreen clocks and shortcuts are live in Android 14 Beta 3 for Pixel phones.
Expand Expanding Close
Four weeks after the last release at I/O 2023, Google is rolling out Android 14 Beta 3 for Pixel phones, including the 7a, today.
Expand Expanding Close
The main update to Google Bard today makes the tool better at mathematical tasks, coding questions, and string manipulation with a new “structured, logic-driven” system.
Expand Expanding Close
At I/O 2023 last month, Google announced “Duet AI” as the branding for generative AI features in Workspace. It’s now available to pre-order for Workspace Enterprise customers and other large businesses.
Expand Expanding Close