In an email to customers this morning, Amazon announced that its “Drive” cloud storage service is shutting down at the end of 2023.
Expand Expanding CloseAmazon Drive is shutting down in 2023, no impact to Amazon Photos
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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.
Students lose access to Gmail and Google Drive for iOS [U: Fixed]
A bug that started overnight (PT) sees “Google For Education iOS users with an under-18 age settings” (i.e., K-12 and equivalent students) unable to access Gmail or Google Drive though the iOS apps.
Google temporarily has a video calling app called ‘Meet (original)’
Back in June, Google announced that it was merging Duo with Meet in a migration that’s currently underway. As part of that, Google’s first “Meet” app is now called “Meet (original)” with a different icon.
Expand Expanding CloseGmail email template and multi-send coming to more Workspace editions
Google is bringing Gmail’s email template layouts and multi-send capabilities to more Workspace users, just as they did with appointment scheduling in Calendar earlier this year.
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Google releases first Pixel 6a ‘bluejay’ factory images
With the Pixel 6a officially launching today, Google has published the Android 12 factory images for customers that have already received the phone.
Expand Expanding CloseYour Pixel can now suggest chats to directly send screenshots to
In recent years, Android has increasingly offered contextual suggestions throughout the OS. Pixel phones have recently picked up the ability to suggest what chats screenshots should be sent to.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle explains how ‘Look and Talk’ works on the Nest Hub Max
“Look and Talk” for the Nest Hub Max launched at I/O 2022, and Google has now detailed how exactly the camera-based, “Hey Google” replacement works.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle delays when Chrome will phase out third-party cookies to 2024
Google was originally planning to get rid of third-party cookies in its browser by 2022, but that was later pushed back to 2023. That cookies deadline for Chrome is now being delayed to 2024.
Expand Expanding CloseChromecast with Google TV finally supports streaming live video from new Nest Cams, Doorbell
To mark this week’s ninth anniversary of the Chromecast line, Google has announced that the Chromecast with Google TV is finally getting support for watching live video feeds from the newest Nest Cam devices.
Expand Expanding CloseChromebooks are getting a new, more advanced Google Photos movie editor
Google is previewing a number of new productivity and personalization features for Chromebooks that will launch over the coming months, including a redesigned movie editor inside Google Photos.
Expand Expanding CloseThe new Google Play Store logo goes live on Android [U]
Google last changed the Play icon in 2016 when Play Movies & TV, Music, and Newsstand were still vibrantly kicking. Over six years later, the Google Play Store is getting a new logo.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Maps getting detailed cycling route info and aerial view for landmarks
In addition to location sharing notifications, Google Maps is getting more detailed cycling route information and nearly 100 aerial views of iconic landmarks.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Maps updates location sharing with arrival and departure notifications
Google is rolling out a handful of new Maps features for the summer, but the highlight is a significant update to location sharing that lets you receive arrival and departure notifications.
Expand Expanding CloseYouTube Music starts rolling out redesigned playlist UI to Android phones
Back in June, YouTube Music rolled out a playlist and album view redesign to tablets, and the former is now starting to appear on Android phones.
Expand Expanding CloseAlphabet reports Q2 2022 revenue of $69.7 billion
Alphabet today announced Q2 2022 earnings with $69.7 billion in revenue. These numbers range from April to June with the fiscal year is well underway.
Expand Expanding ClosePixel Buds Pro have an extended 30-day Google Store return policy
Ahead of the first units shipping for Thursday’s launch, it has emerged that the Google Store is giving the Pixel Buds Pro an extended 30-day return window.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Calendar enabling working locations by default for Workspace users
Back in May, Google updated the UI for Calendar’s working locations to make it less obtrusive, and is now enabling the feature by default for Workspace users.
Expand Expanding CloseAndroid 13 Beta 4.1 rolling out to Pixel with several bug fixes
Just shy of two weeks since the last major release, Google is rolling out Android 13 Beta 4.1 to Pixel phones with several bug fixes.
Expand Expanding ClosePixel’s At a Glance widget starts showing Air Quality (AQI) alerts
With the Pixel’s June Feature Drop, Google said that At a Glance would soon show Air Quality Index (AQI) alerts, and these readings are starting to roll out.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Drive, Docs, and other Workspace apps getting optimized for Android tablets
At I/O 2022, Google announced that over 20 first-party apps would be optimized for tablets. We’ve already seen a handful of launches since May, and Google Drive, Docs/Sheets/Slides, and Keep are now set to receive updates that improve multitasking on Android tablets.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Play turns 10 with new logo and 10x Play Points bonus
In March of 2012, the “Android Market” was rebranded into “Google Play.” To mark 10 years, Google is introducing a new logo for the Play Store, and there’s also a 10x Play Points booster to celebrate the decade.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Camera ‘temporarily disabled’ Frequent Faces on the Pixel
With the Pixel 4, Google Camera gained a “Frequent Faces” feature to “identify and recommend better shots of the faces you photograph or record the most,” but was quietly disabled in recent months.
Expand Expanding ClosePixel 6a teardown reveals easier battery removal and plastic back [Video]
Ahead of the Pixel 6a shipping next week, a teardown has revealed the innards of Google’s $449 mid-ranger. Design-wise, there are more than a few manufacturing similarities with last year’s Pixel 6.
Expand Expanding CloseLightweight ‘Camera Go’ app renamed to ‘Camera from Google’
Back in May, we noticed that Google dropped the “Go” in “Gallery Go.” At the same time, “Camera Go” quietly became “Camera from Google” as the company continues to remove that old branding.
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