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.
In 2016, Google introduced a Timelapse feature to track how any location on Earth has changed over the past few decades. Google Earth is now directly integrating Timelapse for an “interactive 4D experience.”
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Following version 89’s release on Android, Mac, Windows, and Linux, the next release of Google’s browser is rolling out. Chrome 90 is here with a handful of tweaks and underlying additions.
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Back in October, Smart Displays saw a big UI and navigation redesign. Google is now tweaking the order of tabs for some Nest Hub users to put an unfortunately large emphasis on Assistant games, though this results in a bug on a second-gen model that sees “Wellness” disappear.
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Google is making a tweak to Search on desktop web that sees the results page adopt a more responsive design. Still in testing, it follows the homepage abiding by the same principle.
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One week ago, Google announced its developer conference with an elaborate “punchcard” puzzle to reveal the dates and free, virtual nature. The Google I/O 2021 homepage has now been updated with a countdown and game to pass the time.
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FeedBurner was founded in 2004 and acquired by Google three years later to manage web feeds. Google is moving FeedBurner to a “more stable, modern infrastructure” later this year, but email subscriptions and non-core feed management features will be shutting down.
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Google today announced a handful of new Assistant features, while making others more widely available. The biggest lets iPhone owners find misplaced devices using Google Smart Displays and speakers as Assistant Routines availability expands.
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In February, Google said its streaming service would add “even more” playlist creation features and increase discoverability of those user-generated collections. That has so far been the only app roadmap provided by the company this year. YouTube Music is now implementing those plans in search by distinguishing between Featured and Community playlists.
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Over the past few months, we’ve spotted a Fast Pair redesign when setting up Bluetooth devices on Android. After becoming widely available last month, Google made the revamp official today.
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Last year, Google introduced presence sensing to power Home & Away Routines. The Google Home app is now using location for an “only ring when home” feature so that Smart Displays and speakers don’t sound for incoming calls when you’re out of the house and cannot answer.
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Google told developers that it would deprecate the legacy method for installing Wear OS apps in March. Existing users of the Android-based wearable platform have yet to be impacted, but those setting up new watches or repairing are getting hit by this change.
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At the end of last year, Google modernized the Wear OS Weather Tile alongside other updates to the platform. In that vein, Wear OS is now getting a UV Index complication for watch faces.
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At launch, Google offered Pixel 5 and 4a 5G buyers a slew of subscription perks. One for Google Play Points is still available until the end of this month, but Google has “suspended” the promo due to technical issues.
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Google Health today encompasses all of the company’s efforts in wellbeing. However, 13 years ago, it was the name of an ambitious project to centralize your medical information online. That health effort shut down after four years, but Google is now working on another tool for storing and viewing records.
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Last August, Google introduced a new video editing experience in Photos for iOS. Google Photos on Android will soon see that revamped video editor with more advanced tools and granular customization.
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Following the main product getting rebranded in October, Google followed with Workspace for Education this February. G Suite for Nonprofits is now Google Workspace for Nonprofits with key productivity applications available for free.
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As we’ve reported and spotted, Google’s next wireless earbuds are the “Pixel Buds A.” The launch of a presumed cheaper model should not impact the second-generation pair launched a year ago. That said, the Pixel Buds are no longer available in Oh So Orange.
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Besides being its own app, Google Lens is also available in Image Search, Photos, and integrated across Android. Google is now bringing Lens to the desktop web inside Google Photos for convenient text copying through optical character recognition (OCR).
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Back in January, Google told us that it would release a “new lineup of security cameras for 2021” following the Nest Cam IQ Outdoor going out of stock. The Nest Cam IQ Indoor is now similarly sold out.
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Despite rumors this morning to the contrary, Google has just issued an on-the-record statement that the “Pixel 5a 5G” does indeed exist and will not be canceled.
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A new Google Shopping experience that featured a personalized homepage launched in 2019. On Android, Google rebranded the existing Express app to Shopping, but it’s now shutting down the mobile experience in favor of just the web.
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Android users have long wanted an iMessage app to use the popular messaging service on non-Apple devices. Epic’s lawsuit against Apple has now revealed and confirmed that lock-in is the reason why iMessage for Android does not exist.
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Google today announced a ranking system update that changes what Search considers a good product review, and in turn what sites end users will see when looking up products.
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In 2019, the Google Play Store received a Material Theme redesign that was followed by a dark mode. The next major revamp is here and sees new navigation, as well as revamped settings.
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