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.
While AI’s chatbot UI and prompt-based nature showcases the natural-language prowess of LLMs, I think a text field is daunting for most people. I see last year’s Pixel 9 Pro as very much belonging to that initial wave of AI features where LLM capabilities are something you seek out by opening an app. In 12 months, Google has more naturally integrated AI into the core Pixel 10 Pro experience.
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The Google Messages redesign started widely rolling out to the stable channel last week, and Material 3 Expressive is now available on the actual chat screen.
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Google has been updating various Android Settings pages with Material 3 Expressive, and the “Backup” redesign brings a rather drastic simplification.
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Back in July, Google detailed a new “System services” page to update background apps that help power your Android device.
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Gmail was one of the first apps to start testing Material 3 Expressive in June and the redesign is now widely rolling out.
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Following the wide rollout last week, release notes for Google Home 3.39 are now available with a trio of new features listed.
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Thanks to the latest AI and machine learning advancements, Google Translate is adding a new live translate mode and language practice tool.
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After introducing native image editing earlier this year, Google is giving the Gemini app capability a major upgrade thanks to “nano banana.”
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The piecemeal redesign of Google Photos continues with the new viewer now available on Android after coming to iOS last month.
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For Pixel owners, today is a big day for Material 3 Expressive redesigns with wide rollouts for Weather, Studio, My Pixel, Buds, and VIPs, while Calculator is also seeing full availability.
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With version 2.0, Pixel Studio is now out of “Preview” and adds a versatile image editor that can replace the existing Markup tool.
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Following the four-color glow at the start of this month, the Gemini overlay is now a pill with a rather gooey launch animation.
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To combat malware and financial scams, Google announced today that only apps from developers that have undergone verification can be installed on certified Android devices starting in 2026.
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As previewed last year, Google Messages is beginning to roll out QR code-based key verification to confirm that you’re “communicating with the person you intend to.”
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Google is rolling out a Material 3 Expressive redesign that tries to really simplify Pixel Recorder. It comes as the Pixel 10 series debuts a new music creator.
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Google’s latest video generation model introduced in May lets you generate 8-second clips that include sound. Gemini this weekend is letting free app users try Veo 3.
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Following Calculator, Google is rolling out a Material 3 Expressive redesign for Android’s Clock app.
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Google is rolling out an update to Pixel Weather on older phones that finally brings homescreen widgets into the app.
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Ahead of the big Pixel Buds Pro 2 update next month and Pixel Buds 2a in October, Google is giving the companion app a M3 Expressive redesign with the Equalizer interface getting a nice modernization.
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Google Calculator is getting a Material 3 Expressive redesign that moves some elements around.
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Following yesterday’s introduction, Google is rolling out the “My Pixel” app to replace Pixel Tips.
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After the redesign started rolling out last month, Material 3 Expressive is now widely available for Google Keep on Android.
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Yesterday, Google released Android Canary 2508 as the third release in the new program. Besides integrating Android 16 QPR2 Beta 1 changes, it makes two sizable additions.
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In addition to the Material 3 Expressive redesign, Google has released a Password Manager “app” that serves as a more prominent homescreen shortcut.
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