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.
With Beta 4.2 two weeks ago, Google has finished testing Android 15 and is already moving on to QPR1. However, a new report today says Android 15 will not roll out to Pixel devices until October.
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Google Tasks was updated with Material You in February of 2023, and a substantial redesign today overhauls the Android app further.
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In May of 2023, Google announced that the Workspace Business Starter tier was switching to pooled storage, with shared drives set to launch next month.
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When you pull-to-refresh a page in Chrome 128, your Android phone will now subtly vibrate to acknowledge the action.
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Last year, Google Meet introduced an upgraded Picture-in-Picture experience for desktop Chrome that will now automatically open when you switch tabs.
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The Pixel 9 Pro Fold officially hits store shelves on September 4, but one lucky person received theirs early and unboxed it.
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Google Chat now integrates with IFTTT (if this, then that) to power various automations. This is available for both Google Workspace and personal accounts.
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A nice quality of life improvement to Google Messages for Android adds group chat search to the New conversation page.
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When Google rolls out AI features, it starts in a few countries before expanding, and that’s the case with Pixel Screenshots and Studio on the Pixel 9 series.
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Welcome to episode 22 of Pixelated, a podcast by 9to5Google. This week, we talk about our Pixel 9 and 9 Pro reviews.
Google is working to enable a performance boost on Android devices by adding support for a 16 KB page size. This memory management-related change is now starting to see broader testing.
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Following Live earlier this week, Gemini is also starting to roll out the floating overlay panel on Android, with a glow being the telltale sign you have it.
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In October, Google Wallet for Android brought the number of supported state IDs to four, and the fifth — California — is rolling out now.
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The Pixel 9 thoroughly updates the setup process, with a “carbon copy” of your Google Messages history that includes a “full RCS transfer.”
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Google is rolling out a new software update to the Nest Wifi Pro that delivers two key fixes, as well as security and stability improvements.
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Following the final Android 15 preview last week, Google is releasing Android 15 QPR1 Beta 1 for Pixel today.
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In addition to Android 15 QPR1 Beta 1 today for Pixel 8a and earlier, Google is rolling Android 15 Beta 4.2 for the Pixel 9 series.
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As teased last week, Google is rolling out Android 15 QPR1 Beta 1 to Pixel devices today. This comes ahead of Android 15 hitting the stable channel.
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After coming to Android in late July, the Google Maps bottom bar redesign, which aims to make the app a bit cleaner, is now on the iPhone.
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Google Essentials is a “new app that makes it easier for you to discover and install” Google’s first-party services on Windows.
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Besides the ability to copy over data at any time, the Pixel 9 has thoroughly updated the Setup and Data Transfer experience.
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Like 911, you’re not supposed to use Satellite SOS unless it’s an actual emergency. Fortunately, Google added a Satellite SOS demo to the Pixel 9 that lets you preview the experience.
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Ahead of a bigger update to let you access saved Tab Groups, Chrome for Android is adding the ability to color-code them.
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Following Android (and even iOS with a shortcut), Circle to Search — officially “Drag to search” — is coming to desktop Chrome/Chromebooks with a very prominent Google Lens icon.
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