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, and Chrome/OS.
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 up-and-coming 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.
Another big area of interest is Google’s burgeoning hardware division. He detailed all of the Pixel 3’s camera features before launch and got wind of Stadia’s hardware controller. Most recently, Abner scooped the 2nd-generation Nest Hub’s Soli-powered Sleep Sensing capability and how it would integrate with Google Fit.
Send tips/talk to abner@9to5mac.com or @technacity (open DMs).
Besides phones and tablets, Android is available on smartwatches, TVs, and even cars. Google today announced Android XR as the next form factor the operating system is coming to.
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Like other first-party apps that lack Dynamic Color theming, Google Maps currently uses a blue accent for buttons and other UI elements, but that looks to be changing to teal.
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Spotify Wrapped 2024 is here and features an AI Podcast that’s “Built with Google’s NotebookLM.” Two AI hosts from the viral note-taking/research tool “unwrap” your year in music.
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As part of the redesigned incident reporting across all platforms, Google said Maps would show Waze reports for users to confirm while navigating. This is beginning to roll out.
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After being part of the Google (Search) application since February, Gemini is now its own standalone app on the iPhone.
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Since launch, Gemini on iOS has been part of the Google (Search) app. That’s about to change with at least one iPhone user today spotting a standalone “Google Gemini” app on the App Store that also lets you access Gemini Live.
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In addition to Gemini for search, summaries, and Q&A, Google Maps for Android and iOS are getting updates to improve the entire driving experience “from start to finish.”
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YouTube is making official a number of updates that it’s been testing in recent months, like the new miniplayer and several design updates.
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After coming to Android earlier this year, Google Home now offers widgets that let you quickly control smart devices from your homescreen on iPhone and iPad.
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Due to a licensing dispute with SESAC, a ton of songs have been removed from YouTube and YouTube Music in the US. YouTube remains in “active conversations with SESAC and are hoping to reach a new deal as soon as possible.”
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The next notable update (version 7.72) for Pocket Casts on Android and iOS adds support for transcripts and video/audio clip sharing.
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With RCS rolling out on the iPhone yesterday, Google is looking ahead on new features including cross-platform end-to-end encryption (E2EE) between Android and iPhone.
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The Search widget offered by the Google app on iPhone and iPad now offers customizable shortcuts, including to Gemini.
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iOS 18 is rolling out today with RCS to improve the Android-iPhone messaging experience, but support is not yet enabled for all carriers, including Google Fi Wireless.
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Apple today is rolling out iOS 18 with support for RCS in a huge boost to the iPhone-Android messaging experience.
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Chrome Tab Groups can already be saved across signed-in desktops, but Google will soon sync them with your mobile devices. Meanwhile, Tabs Groups are now available on iOS.
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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.
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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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After rolling back the last Library redesign in 2022, Google Photos is trying again with a new tab called “Collections.” The goal is to make “finding content easier than ever.”
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After adding Help me write, Tab Organizer, and a Gemini shortcut earlier this year, Google is rolling out the next set of AI-powered features to desktop Chrome, including a promising conversational search experience for browsing history and improved visual search. Broadly, Google wants to add AI features that make your “browsing experience even more helpful.”
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With the launch of iOS 18 this fall, the iPhone will support RCS for meaningfully improved messaging experience with Android users, and Google today released an ad to highlight that.
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In a rather stark turnaround, Google is no longer ending support for third-party cookies in its Chrome browser.
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Back in 2019, Google Maps for Android gained a speedometer that simply “shows you how fast you’re driving on the road” and it’s now coming to the iPhone.
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The GSMA Association (GSMA) is responsible for maintaining Rich Communication Services (RCS) and the latest update to the standard adds “Extended Messaging” that should improve Android and iPhone interoperability.
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