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.
Google announced Chrome OS Flex yesterday as a way to turn old Macs and Windows PCs into Chromebooks. It amusingly also breathes new life into older Chromebooks that have hit their Auto Update Expiration (AUE) or end-of-life (EOL) date.
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Google introduced Roboto in 2011 as Android’s new system font and gave it a big upgrade three years later. “Roboto Serif” is now the newest variation “designed to make reading more comfortable at any size, in any format.”
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The Find My Device app on Android rarely gets updates, but it now has a new icon that better follows Google’s modern design language.
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As work on the web version continues, Google announced today that it’s bringing Privacy Sandbox to Android.
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Dynamic Color today is implemented across most first-party Google apps on Android. During the development process, the Material Design team had to reconcile the wallpaper-derived color palette with those that were hard-coded by the application/developer. A recent blog explains the solution Material You arrived at.
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Like email, the experience of searching through files can always benefit from improvements. For its part, Google Drive is in the process of beta testing search chips to “help users refine their search and locate files faster.”
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One of the first major announcements at I/O 2021 was Google’s initiative to offer a more integrated and interactive Workspace experience. The latest “Smart canvas” features are now here, including AI summaries in Google Docs.
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In December of 2020, Google acquired a Chromium-based operating system that turns old PCs into Chromebook-like devices. CloudReady is now becoming “Chrome OS Flex” and is launching in early access today.
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Following initial testing during the Android 12 Beta period last May, Google Play will now show the progress of new app installs right on your homescreen. This behavior mimics iOS and was previously limited to restoring from a backup on Android.
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At the end of last month, Google officially detailed the “new integrated view” for Gmail on the web. This redesign is now rolling out for the first Gmail users, including those with personal Google Accounts.
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Google’s increased advertising for the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro will continue at the Super Bowl with a focus on the camera’s Real Tone capability. It will feature musician Lizzo and is Google’s first phone ad at the Big Game.
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AI-generated replies based on context have flourished over the years across Google apps and services. The latest example of Smart Reply is in Google Voice for Android.
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To boost product and platform security, Google runs Vulnerability Reward Programs (VRPs) for Android, Play, Chrome, and web services. The company saw researcher payouts increase by $2 million in 2021 to $8.7 million.
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Over the past year or so, Google has been working to optimize its app for tablets, foldables, and other large screen devices. YouTube Music is the most recent example with more tablet UI updates planned in the future.
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To date, Google has made everything from phones to laptops and speakers. You can now add a Google designed and engineered smart lamp to that list with “dLight,” though it will “likely never be for sale outside of the company.”
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The first release of the next version of Android is a preview that’s only meant for developers and not delivering major user-facing changes. That said, join us as we chronicle all the new features and changes in Android 13 DP1 for Pixel phones.
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Google today highlighted the first set of features coming with Android 13. The release timeline was also shared, and it revealed that Android 13’s consumer launch might be coming earlier than usual.
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Even as 12L is still in the Beta Program ahead of its Q1 launch, Google today announced the Android 13 Developer Preview.
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Starting in January, Google disabled the ability for third-party Smart Displays from Lenovo and JBL to browse the web. The company has now revealed that this is due to those devices not featuring hardware support for SafeSearch.
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Now on its fourth-generation of Wear OS watches, Tag Heuer today announced the Connected Calibre E4. It features modern specs in line with other non-Samsung wearables and comes in two sizes.
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Google+ shut down in April of 2020 as a social network for consumers, but the product was kept around for businesses that wanted an internal tool to communicate with employees in a post/stream-like manner. Citing low usage, Google is shutting down Currents and replacing it with Spaces in the new integrated Gmail/Chat.
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Android 12 introduced a brand new design language, and Google is working to make sure it’s consistently adopted by all OEMs. For the benefit of app developers, the company announced today that Material You Dynamic Color is specifically coming to Android devices from Samsung, OnePlus, Oppo, Vivo, realme, Xiaomi, and Tecno.
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The latest beta version of Apple Music is rolling out on Android this evening with a very sizable upgrade to homescreen widgets, while possibly also revealing the name of Apple’s standalone classical genre app based on Primephonic.
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