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 M3 Expressive rollout continues today with more of the Android 16 QPR1 system UI getting refreshed, including the Privacy dashboard and app permission prompts.
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Google is rolling out the new Gemini icon to Android, while this app update also brings some tweaks and new shortcuts to the homescreen widget.
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In addition to the upcoming editor redesign, Google Photos is revamping the app’s photo view.
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The new Gemini logo continues to roll out today, while Google has made a tweak to the model picker that prioritizes function over version.
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After a false start in April, Google has rolled out the latest firmware update for the Nest Wifi Pro on July 1st.
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Google’s AI Mode push continues today with a Doodle that broadly promotes how you can “search like never before.”
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While Google released a new watchOS app today, the company also got rid of Google Keep for Apple Watch.
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The monthly “Google System Release Notes” primarily detail what’s new in Play services, Play Store, and Play system update across Android phones/tablets, Wear OS, Google/Android TV, Auto, and PC. Some features apply to end users, while others are aimed at developers.
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Back in April, Sundar Pichai said over 30% of code at Google is now generated by AI. The company today released guidance for all Google software engineers on how to best adopt AI for coding and their work.
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Since launch, Gemini has had its own distinct blue-purple color palette. Google is now ready to more closely align the Gemini app to the primary brand with a new icon.
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As part of bringing Gemini (models) to Assistant on the Nest Mini and Audio, Google is adding more natural voices. Following the initial seven options added in December, Google recently introduced three more voices.
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Only a few Google services offer Apple Watch clients, with Google Calendar unexpectedly becoming the fourth app today.
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At the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) 2025 conference, Google today announced the latest Gemini, Workspace, and Chromebook features for education.
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Google is making a notable quality-of-life improvement to Gmail notifications by adding a “Mark as read” button on Android.
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Following the announcement at the start of this month, Google has now rolled out Scheduled Actions for Gemini on Android, iOS, and the web to let you “plan ahead for future and recurring tasks.”
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In addition to beginning a wider rollout of Ask Photos, Google Photos today detailed improvements to Ultra HDR, while there’s now “Screenshots & recordings” on the web.
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Google Wallet is the latest first-party app to get a Material 3 Expressive redesign on Android in a simple modernization.
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After rolling out earlier this month, Google is reversing two aspects of the Gboard emoji picker redesign that users did not like.
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For the longest time, scrolling in Google Docs for Android would awkwardly dock the search field underneath the system status bar. An update today finally fixes this visual bug.
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Following the wide availability of Pixel Camera 9.9, the new “education hub” with “visual inspiration of what each mode does” and help instructions is now available. It’s available for the Pixel 6+.
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When sharing a URL from the Google app on Android, Search and Discover automatically applies a link shortener. Google now offers a setting to turn this off.
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Following the consumer version at I/O 2025 last month, Google today announced “Google AI Ultra for Business.”
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After “early access” testing got underway in October, Google Photos is now bringing Ask Photos to more eligible users in the US and making the AI search experience feel faster.
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With Preferred sources, Google is testing a new way to customize and personalize the Top Stories carousel that appears when you search for news.
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