Will Sattelberg is a writer and podcaster at 9to5Google.
He’s been covering all things Android since 2021 when he joined the team at Android Police, serving as both News Editor and Phones Editor throughout his tenure. Prior to professionally covering Android and all things smartphones, he was just a passionate enthusiast, having purchased his first Android device — HTC’s Thunderbolt — back in 2011.
Will has a degree in video production he occasionally remembers to use, but his real love lies in both writing and podcasting. He’s constantly fascinated — and sometimes frustrated — by the ever-evolving shape of consumer technology, and enjoys bringing that sense of affection and curiosity to everything he produces.
You can reach out to Will at will@9to5mac.com, or find him on Twitter, Threads, or Bluesky.
Over the past two generations of Pixel, Google has built its smartphone brand into one of the few brands able to find (relative) growth in an increasingly-stagnant arena. Today, we’re getting our first look at this year’s Pixel 11, and despite being an anniversary release, it’s looking like we’re getting a third take on Google’s current design.
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Google finally announced its long-awaited “advanced flow” for enabling sideloading from unverified developers last week, set to roll out later this year to all Android phones. It addressed a lot of the concerns we had with the future of installing third-party APKs, but that’s not to say it delivered every answer under the sun. Thankfully, a new FAQ video is going a long way in filling in some of the gaps, including confirming you won’t need to repeat this process when you get a new phone.
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Welcome to episode 93 of Pixelated, a podcast by 9to5Google. This week, Damien, Abner, and Will discuss Google’s new “advanced flow” for enabling sideloading on Android, set to launch on all Play-supported devices later this year. It’s a change built with security and safety in mind, and your hosts are pretty impressed with how the company has designed this shift. Then they dig into the potential news that OnePlus could be preparing to exit the global market, leaving an enthusiast-shaped hole in its place.
Sponsored by Proton Unlimited: Pixelated listeners can save 30% on an annual subscription by signing up for Proton Unlimited using this link. Thanks to Proton Unlimited for sponsoring this week’s episode.
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Google released Android 17 Beta 3 yesterday with a handful of interesting additions, but as is often the case, the coolest features are the ones typically hidden just below the surface — or, in this case, behind some secret flags. The company appears to be working on a new way for Pixel users to automatically fill their home screen with suggested apps, widgets, and more, and it could completely change how you layout your smartphone’s launcher.
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Hot on the heels of our first look at the entry-level Moto Razr earlier this month, we’re getting our first glimpse at Motorola’s flagship clamshell for 2026. Unfortunately for anyone hoping this year’s model would come with a slimmer chassis, it seems like the brand is moving in the opposite direction.
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After launching in last week’s Android Canary update, Google has added its redesigned screen recording menu to today’s Android 17 Beta 3, setting the stage for an all-but-guaranteed stable rollout later this year.
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YouTube has certainly proven itself to be a bit of a pain for viewers lately, especially those members of its audience attempting to bypass ads. Today’s issue takes it to a whole new level, though, as some users are struggling to use the site without seeing repeated CAPTCHAs blocking access to videos.
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Just a few short days after Samsung confirmed it would bring AirDrop support to the Galaxy S26 series, we’re already seeing the update arrive on devices in regions beyond its initial launch. Unfortunately for US readers, you’ll have to keep waiting a little while longer.
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Spotify might be your go-to place to check out new releases or build out yet another playlist, but if you’re looking to learn the background of your favorite songs, you usually need to look elsewhere. A new tool now rolling out to paid users is looking to change that.
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The Galaxy Z Fold 7 took many Android fans by surprise last year, when Samsung — a company typically dedicated to making small changes over the course of many generations — finally leapt ahead to compete with its foldable competition. While it would be silly to expect the same result with this year’s upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 8, Samsung does appear to be making one change no one saw coming: a thicker design.
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The Galaxy S26 Ultra might not rock the boat when it comes to its design, but there’s still plenty to like. From its semi-controversial Privacy Display to a slimmer, lighter chassis that goes a long way in making Samsung’s traditional phablet feel a little more pocket-friendly, anyone upgrading from a device more than a couple of generations old should notice more than a handful of upgrades. When it comes time to repair your Galaxy S26 Ultra, however, you might find yourself running into some familiar headaches.
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Welcome to The Sideload episode 27, a 9to5Google podcast. This week, Will welcomes Rich Woods, content director at XDA Developers, MakeUseOf, and HowToGeek, to discuss the MacBook Neo, Windows 11’s public opinion problems, and whether Google’s upcoming Android-for-desktops OS can actually make a meaningful splash in the market.
Sponsored by NordVPN: Listeners to The Sideload can save up to 77% on a two-year subscription and score a free Amazon gift card by signing up for NordVPN using this link. Thanks to NordVPN for sponsoring this week’s episode.
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Walmart’s lineup of Onn-branded streaming devices are some of the cheapest options around if you’re looking to add Google TV into your living room, but even the world’s largest brick-and-mortar retailer can’t escape the ongoing crunch facing practically every consumer electronic.
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Google just pushed a new version of Android Canary out to its most cutting-edge beta testers, and alongside a bunch of the features we expect to launch with Android 17, we’re also getting an all-new UI for capturing whatever’s happening on your display.
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Modern music services are all about convenience, but sometimes having every album ever at the touch of your fingertips leaves you with choice paralysis. If you’d rather bump your next mixtape or revisit your favorite albums with something a little more tactile, Maxwell might just have the gadget you’ve been waiting for.
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Welcome to The Sideload episode 26, a 9to5Google podcast. This week, Will welcomes Ryne Hager, former blogger and VP of US Operations at Muse Per Se, to discuss modern tech ecosystems, the consolidation of the entire internet, feeling upset online, and much more.
Sponsored by NordVPN: Listeners to The Sideload can save up to 77% on a two-year subscription and score a free Amazon gift card by signing up for NordVPN using this link. Thanks to NordVPN for sponsoring this week’s episode.
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Every sign we have is pointing to a more expansive Galaxy Z-series launch than usual this summer. In addition to follow-ups on last year’s Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7, we’re also expecting Samsung to bring a wider book-style foldable to market, just in time for Apple to allegedly launch a similar product. After several months of vague rumors and some software leaks, we’re finally getting some more concrete spec details.
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Welcome to episode 92 of Pixelated, a podcast by 9to5Google. This week, Damien and Will break down all of the changes coming to Google Maps, including a fresh 3D look and a Gemini-powered Ask Maps tool. They also break down recent reports that Motorola dominates 50% of the North American foldables market, asking what the brand can do to stay on top, before wrapping up with some kernel changes coming to Android that should make your current phone just a little more efficient.
Sponsored by Proton Unlimited: Pixelated listeners can save 30% on an annual subscription by signing up for Proton Unlimited using this link. Thanks to Proton Unlimited for sponsoring this week’s episode.
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For over five years now, Pixel users have had a powerful tool built into their Recents menu: the ability to select text and images for quick copying, sharing, and more. With Android 16 QPR3, however, the images side of things is getting a pretty massive downgrade, and it’s not exactly clear as to why.
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For all of the praise heaped onto Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 7 last summer, its clamshell sibling felt a little bit like an afterthought. The company did make some meaningful changes to its hardware, slimming the chassis down by over a millimeter while adding in a larger battery and expanding its cover display to fill the entire panel. While plenty of us have held out hope that this year’s Flip 8 would see the sort of transformation Samsung delivered to its book-style foldable, it’s not sounding too promising so far.
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In addition to another clamshell entry in its ongoing Razr series, Motorola is teeing up for an expansion into book-style foldables later this year. Ahead of that launch, new reporting suggests Motorola is absolutely crushing it in the folding phone market, especially in the US and Latin America.
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You’ve had two weeks to pre-order Samsung’s new Galaxy S26 lineup, but if you missed your chance, you might’ve also missed out on some exceptional trade-in offers. With the S26 series now on store shelves, Samsung has updated their trade-in values, and the best deals to be had are all but dead.
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With this month’s rollout of Android 16 QPR3 and its associated Pixel Drop, anyone rocking one of Google’s growing collection of Pixels is finally getting access to something we’ve waited on for a long time: custom app icons. Unfortunately, using this feature is locked behind a basic set of generative AI tools, and compared to what you’ll find on other launchers — from both first and third-party developers — it’s just not good enough.
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AI video generation is a real concern. Even in an era where AI videos tend to sport attributes that give the game away — like Coca Cola’s rapidly-transforming semi-truck in last year’s Christmas ad — it’s often good enough to fool audiences, which is why some platform owners are trying to get ahead of any potentially problematic deepfakes.
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