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.
After the big Collections redesign last month, Google Photos is upgrading “classic search” in the Android and iOS app with features like “Best match.”
Expand Expanding Close
After being previewed at I/O 2024 in May, Google Photos is now rolling out “early access” to Ask Photos to select US users on Android and iOS.
Expand Expanding Close
Over the past few hours, there have been more than a few reports of Google Maps for Android crashing.
Expand Expanding Close
YouTube Music rolled out live lyrics just over a year ago, but they are currently missing across many songs on Android and iOS.
Expand Expanding Close
Following Gmail, Drive, Docs/Sheets/Slides, and Meet, Gemini is coming to Google Forms with “Help me create a form.”
Expand Expanding Close
TensorFlow Lite (TFLite) was announced in 2017 and Google is now calling it “LiteRT” to reflect how it supports third-party models.
Expand Expanding Close
Google is rolling out ChromeOS 128 starting today with a number of sizable updates for Chromebooks.
Expand Expanding Close
With the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, Google’s design team is particularly proud of how thin it is compared to last year’s model, and the use of “custom” components is credited.
Expand Expanding Close
YouTube is adding a Family Center that will let parents see “insights into their teens’ channel activity,” like the number of uploads, subscriptions and comments.
Expand Expanding Close
Following Live and more Extensions, the Gemini mobile app is rolling out support for file uploads instead of having to use gemini.google.com. This requires Gemini Advanced.
Expand Expanding Close
With the Android 14 September security patch, the Pixel 9, 9 Pro, 9 Pro XL, and 9 Pro Fold are getting their first post-launch update with just a pair of fixes.
Expand Expanding Close
With Android 15 not launching until next month, the Android 14 September security patch is rolling out today for the 6, 6 Pro, 6a, 7, 7 Pro, 7a, Tablet, Fold, 8, 8 Pro, 8a, 9, 9 Pro, 9 Pro XL, and 9 Pro Fold.
Expand Expanding Close
Ahead of the fall, Google is highlighting the latest Android features, including the ability to find songs with Circle to Search and TalkBack powered by Gemini models.
Expand Expanding Close
In 2020, Google announced the Android Earthquake Alerts system that basically turns your phone into a seismometer. This seconds-long warning will soon be available in all 50 US states and six territories.
Expand Expanding Close
Instead of a stable launch to Pixel devices, Google today is pushing Android 15 to the Android Open Source Project (AOSP).
Expand Expanding Close
Internally, Android releases are still codenamed after desserts, and the Android 15 statue reflects that “Vanilla Ice Cream” nature.
Expand Expanding Close
The Pixel 9a, which I think looks nice if those leaked images pan out, is unsurprisingly using Tensor G4, according to a new rumor today, but will be paired with an older modem.
Expand Expanding Close
Google Contacts for Android added a Highlights tab in late 2022, but a small tweak in recent days removes the recently added section.
Expand Expanding Close
Some owners have noticed that the Pixel 9 Pro XL will sometimes not register corner screen taps, like when trying to close Gboard.
Expand Expanding Close
While phones are at 7 seven years, the Pixel Watch 3 is still set to get three years of updates after launch.
Expand Expanding Close
Like the Screenshots app, Recorder is using Gemini Nano with Multimodality on the Pixel 9 series. Google shared more details about the integration earlier this week.
Expand Expanding Close
Like a Pixel 9 Pro Fold earlier this week, somebody has received their 45 mm Pixel Watch 3 pretty early and has promptly unboxed it.
Expand Expanding Close
Welcome to episode 23 of Pixelated, a podcast by 9to5Google. This week, we talk more about the Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL, as well as the Pixel 9a leak.
Last month, the Gemini free tier was upgraded with 1.5 Flash and Google now says those responses are “up to 50% faster.”
Expand Expanding Close