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.
Markdown is a “lightweight markup language for applying formatting using plain text.” Google Docs already recognizes some Markdown syntax, and is now expanding its support.
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Some Nest Hub owners today are waking up to a UI redesign, though the update looks to have bootlooped the Assistant Smart Display for others.
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In the coming weeks, Google Chat will replace classic Hangouts for Workspace customers. As part of this, Google said it would disable the old Hangouts mobile apps, and that looks to be underway with the iPhone app now removed from the App Store.
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After first launching for iOS at the start of this year, YouTube Music is widely rolling out the “Save” queue to playlist feature on Android.
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Google’s cord-cutting service currently only offers 5.1 audio on two device classes. YouTube TV today gave an update on bringing 5.1 surround sound to more users.
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Viewer feedback on YouTube today consists of liking (or disliking) and leaving text comments on videos. YouTube is now experimenting with timed reactions that let you share emoji at an exact moment in a video.
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Google Shopping is in the midst of positioning itself as an open Amazon competitor by allowing free listings. The latest step to achieve this will be a “Trusted Store” badge on Google Shopping product pages.
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With the Pixel 6 now a few months old, Casetify is the latest accessory maker to release cases for the flagship phones as a Made for Google partner.
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Back in 2020, Google released an experimental Android app that lets those with speech and motor impairments communicate by tracking eye gaze. Look to Speak got a high-profile Google ad at the Oscars this evening.
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After years of stagnation, Android 12 brought renewed attention to widgets on the OS. Google introduced a number of new tools for developers and revamped its first-party offerings. With all these changes, are you using widgets more?
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With the Pixel 6 and Android 12, Google redesigned At a Glance to be left-aligned and made it just open the Weather app by default. Android 12L makes it so that tapping At a Glance’s top line opens Google Calendar again.
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In March of last year, YouTube Music widely rolled out the ability to shuffle songs when Casting but bafflingly didn’t also enable repeat. As of today, that latter action is available again.
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Following the redesign in Android 12, calls from Pixel owners that want the option to remove At a Glance have only increased. It’s unlikely that will happen anytime soon as Google is very much in the middle of justifying At a Glance’s existence and making it a pillar of the helpful Pixel experience.
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Google is rolling out a new Side Panel UI in desktop Chrome that provides fast access to your bookmarks and Reading List.
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Since the start of this year, Assistant Smart Displays haven’t seen too many new capabilities. A small feature addition today does add birthday countdowns to the Nest Hub.
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With the small business-focused Workspace Individual tier last year, Google Calendar gained appointment scheduling. Google is now bringing Calendar booking pages to the other enterprise and education Workspace tiers.
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With Android 12, Google introduced a “performance class” to let app developers “understand what a device is capable of, and tailor [their] user experience accordingly.” The Pixel 6 and several other modern flagships were the “first to optimize” and meet the standard, which apps like Snapchat are using, but Samsung is absent.
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Google recently updated the default “Shopping List” experience used by Assistant and Home devices. For many users, it’s a huge visual and functional regression that has taken away useful capabilities.
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In releasing QPR3 Beta 1.1 for the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro today, Google also announced that it will soon give testers the ability to opt out of the Android Beta Program at the end of every cycle without having to wipe their device.
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Following the launch two weeks ago, Google is now rolling out Android 12 QPR3 Beta 1.1 for the Pixel 6 series. This is a preview for the upcoming June Feature Drop.
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To date, Google has released three Assistant Smart Displays. 9to5Google can now report that the company is working on a new Nest Hub for 2022 with a dockable tablet form factor where the screen detaches from a base/speaker.
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Google has a new series of ads that are aimed at getting iPhone users to switch to its browser by pointing out how they’re likely using desktop Chrome and could get those features on mobile.
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As of last year, Google Health is a “company-wide effort to help billions of people be healthier” that’s distributed across several product teams. At its second annual “The Check Up” event, Google showed off its latest health research and features to accomplish that goal.
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With the war in Ukraine ongoing, Google today detailed its company-wide response to the conflict with a focus on the “safety and security of our employees, users, and customers.”
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