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.
The Pixel 4a was announced just over a year ago and curiously remains on sale following yesterday’s Pixel 5a with 5G unveil. In fact, it’s the only phone from the Made by Google 2020 lineup to remain in stock in the official US store.
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After launching in the US and Canada this June, Pixel Buds A-Series is getting an international launch on August 25-26.
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Back in 2019, Google said it was “sunsetting” AdSense for Android and iOS, with users told to just check their online advertising earnings on the website. That said, the native Android app continued to work just fine until this week, but it’s now completely dead.
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Google’s next phone will be a stark departure in terms of specs, design, and cameras. We also learned today that the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro will not include a USB-C charger in the box.
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Besides the Google Store, the only other stateside retailer selling the Pixel 5a with 5G is Google Fi. You can buy the Pixel 5a directly through the MVNO, or take advantage of Google Fi Phone subscription.
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New phones mean new cases, and the Google Pixel 5a with 5G is no exception today. However, this year’s mid-range phone from Google is not getting one made of fabric.
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Before the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro this fall, the Pixel 5a with 5G is launching as Google’s next affordable phone. There are, of course, similarities to the Pixel 4a line, but this 2021 device ends up being much closer to the Pixel 5.
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The Google Fi app this evening featured an inadvertent reference to the “Pixel 5a (5G).” This leak indirectly revealed how much Google’s upcoming phone will cost, and that it will be available for purchase as part of the MVNO’s “Phone subscription” program.
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Material You can be seen in various parts of the system on Android 12. The next big step for the company’s new design language is app updates, and that started with Google Camera seeing some tweaks this month. Google Contacts is now the inaugural first-party app to get a sizable Material You redesign.
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Last week, Google Fi started selling Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 3 with a notable $400 credit that goes towards your monthly bill. With that new addition, the Google MVNO also changed its promotion eligibility terms to allow old Fi subscribers to take advantage of deals meant for “new” customers.
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With the December 2020 Feature Drop, Google made it so that your Pixel phone charges slowly at night to preserve battery health. Pixel users have had hit or miss experiences with Adaptive Charging, and Google now looks to have tweaked how it works on Android 12.
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Besides the flashy Material You redesign on Android 12 and various tweaks to settings in recent weeks, Gboard has gained a small addition where the most likely word suggestion is now prominently highlighted.
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The Google Assistant preferences page allows you to sign in and select what services to use on Smart Displays and speakers. A small tweak today sees Google Assistant separate settings for “Photos” from “Videos.”
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With this week’s release, Google is “moving into the final phase” of Android 12 and focusing on “polish, performance, and stability” rather than adding new features. However, a bug in Android 12 Beta 4 sees most notification banners not pop up.
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Back in May, the Connected Home over IP (CHIP) project to create a unified standard for smart home devices was rebranded to “Matter” ahead of the first devices becoming available in late 2021. The governing Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) announced that the launch of the Google and Apple-backed Matter has been delayed into next year.
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Google is adding five games to Stadia Pro for August 2021 in a slight increase from previous months. The first four titles have already launched, while GRIME will debut with the subscription next month.
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At the start of this month, a revamped Google Play started appearing on Wear OS. Google today officially announced this Material You redesign of the Play Store and that the ability to install Wear OS apps to your from your phone is rolling out.
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With Chat serving as a key part of the integrated Gmail experience, Google lets users quickly specify their activity status. In addition to the existing availability options, you’re now able to set a custom status in Gmail and Chat on the web.
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Google is rolling out a handful of new features for Meet that focus on improving safety and security. Namely, the ability to have co-hosts in Meet calls is coming to more Google Workspace users.
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In recent months, search has been one area of YouTube Music that Google has been constantly iterating on with tweaks and additional capabilities. The YouTube Music Android app now lets you search songs and albums that you’ve locally downloaded.
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Besides wallpapers, Google lets owners customize the Pixel experience by making available a large collection of ringtones, notifications, and alarm sounds. Android 12 Beta 3 introduces a trio of additions to the Sounds app, and they’re very likely the new/next Pixel defaults.
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The new Nest Cam (battery) and Doorbell (battery) will launch on August 24 in several countries, and ahead of that Google has released videos showing the set-up process. We also get to see more of the Nest Cam with floodlight variant.
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Following the Pixel 5 and 4a 5G at the end of last month, Google Fi has stopped selling the $349 Pixel 4a today. It went out of stock earlier this week and has since been delisted.
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The multitasking menu in Android 12 has been tweaked over the Beta period, but the layout is mostly unchanged. Google, however, has put a lot of work into making it easier to share content from Recents, and Android 12 Beta 4 adds image support.
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