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.
“Next-generation” Super Res Zoom on the Pixel 7 Pro pushes the 48-megapixel telephoto camera to DSLR-level heights, and Google has shared three sets of samples outside of the keynote.
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In addition to the Pixel 7, 7 Pro, and Watch, Google yesterday made Pixel Buds A-Series available in a third color: Charcoal.
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Earlier this week, Google told us that the Maps integration in Assistant Driving Mode is going away. The company’s confirmation following a “sunset” notice we discovered in the Google app turned out to be incorrect, and Google now tells us it is shutting down the entire Assistant Driving Mode Dashboard that was announced at I/O 2019.
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With the Pixel 7 Pro less than a day old, a teardown of Google’s flagship 2022 flagship phone has already emerged from PBKreviews.
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Google has various “services” apps on the Play Store, and the latest today supports the Pixel Watch’s health capabilities.
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To coincide with the Pixel 7 series and Pixel Watch unveil, the Google hardware team has released the first episode of its new “Made by Google” podcast to provide a behind-the-scenes look in “snackable” 30-minute increments.
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In announcing the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro, Google started by making a series of digs about the iPhone and how the Pixel series was first to several features.
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As we reported earlier this year, Google is releasing an extensive band collection for the Pixel Watch that spans fluoroelastomer, fabric, leather, and metal.
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Google previewed the Pixel Watch in May at I/O 2022 and is now ready to fully detail, as well as launch its first Wear OS device.
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At Made by Google 2022, a number of Assistant announcements were made across all the new devices and form factors. Pixel phones are seeing updates to Assistant Voice Typing, At a Glance, Quick Phrases, Recorder, and more.
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Stop me if you’ve heard this cycle before: Google is optimizing Android for tablets. I could either be talking about 2011’s 3.0 Honeycomb or an effort that started in 2021 with Android 12L, is continuing with Android 13, and is supposed to be ongoing. Recent app activity makes me optimistic, while Google in May made a non-insignificant first-party hardware commitment to support the latest form factor push. That continued today when Google made time during the Pixel 7 and Pixel Watch event to preview a few more details about the Pixel Tablet.
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Google today is fully detailing its biggest hardware products of the year. Made by Google 2022 will see the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro, as well as the Pixel Watch, announced and get a ship date.
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Ahead of the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro undoubtedly introducing exclusive backgrounds, Google is releasing new wallpapers for all Pixel owners as part of the “Community Lens” collection.
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Besides changes to the media player, Android 13 QPR1 Beta 2 has allowed us to enable “Battery Health” on Pixel phones.
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Android 13 QPR1 Beta 2 is rolling out to Pixel phones today and continues to make UI tweaks, most notably to the media player.
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Fitbit will be a highlight of the Pixel Watch experience and we now have a closer look at the new Wear OS app.
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The latest sign that Google’s investment in the Pixel Watch will benefit the entire ecosystem is a new Weather app for all Wear OS 3+ watches.
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Android 13 QPR1 Beta 2 is now available for Pixel phones as the Quarterly Platform Release preview continues.
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Google is returning to in-person Android Dev Summits, with 2022 seeing three events with different session tracks over the course of a few weeks.
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The Pixel Watch has thoroughly leaked ahead of Thursday, but here’s a look at the Coral Active band directly from Google, as well as a bezel case – of sorts – for the wearable.
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In May of 2019, Google Assistant Driving Mode was announced to replace “Android Auto for Phone Screens.” The launch occurred slowly, with the previous experience not going away until this June. Assistant Driving Mode is now losing Google Maps integration and this noticeably changes the experience to the point where it’s no longer an Android Auto replacement.
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In addition to the Nest Wifi Pro and new Doorbell (wired), the expected Google Home app redesign was officially announced with “customization and personalization a core principle”. It’s a big overhaul, and you can sign up now for the preview program starting today.
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We’ve already seen Pixel Watch packaging from the top, and now Google’s wearable has undergone an unboxing ahead of the Thursday announcement.
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Ahead of new Pixel phones, the Android 13 October update is rolling out with nine fixes.
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