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).
Last year, Google announced that all Android 7+ devices can be used as two-factor authentication when signing into Gmail, Drive, and other first-party services. Most modern iPhones can now be used as a built-in phone security key for Google apps.
With Google’s acquisition of Fitbit — set to be completed this year, there will be one less independent player in the health space. Withings is kicking off 2020 with the ScanWatch. The French company is touting this hybrid smartwatch as being its “most medically advanced wearable.”
Last month, reports first emerged that Fitbit was considering a sale and Google’s parent company was tentatively floated as a possible candidate. Reuters this morning is reporting that Alphabet has made an offer to acquire the wearable company.
Earlier today, Mac video professionals began reporting that their computers were crashing, and many attributed the problem to Avid’s Media Composer editor. The issue instead lies with a piece of Google software that helps keep Chrome up-to-date.
Gmail for Android’s dark theme began rolling out at the start of this month. Google today is now making the look official and providing an availability timeline, while also bringing it to iOS.
The podcasting industry is booming with heavy investment from large players like Google, Apple, and Spotify. NPR and a public radio consortium last year acquired Pocket Casts to offer its own experience and already released a major update in March with version 7.0. Today, Pocket Casts is going free and adding a “Plus” subscription.
Facebook’s interest in AR smart glasses was telegraphed by Mark Zuckerberg at the company’s 2016 developer conference. A new report today reveals some details about Facebook’s “Orion” project and a possible time frame.
AdSense allows publishers to easily place advertising on their sites, with Google offering mobile apps to track views and revenue. Google today announced that it is killing the Android and iOS clients, with the web positioned as an upcoming alternative.
Over the past month, the new “Google Nest” replaced Nest.com with the Google Store and gained a new Help Center. The unified brand has now killed its Wear OS and Apple Watch apps for home control right from your wrist.
The announcement that one of the most popular PC and console FPS franchises ever would be coming to both Android and iOS is a pretty big deal. Now fresh intel has come directly from Activision, and they are telling us to expect the first Call of Duty Mobile beta within the next week. Read More
The Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL went immediately on sale at physical and online retailers after Google announced them on stage at I/O 2019 on Tuesday. Similarly, the marketing campaign is in full swing with one billboard from Made by Google driving home camera performance and price versus “Phone X.”
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Amazon’s acquisition of Eero in February signified another big smart home entry by the online retailer following voice assistants and other connected devices. However, consumers decried the lost of another independent hardware brand. A new report today reveals that Amazon bought Eero in a fire sale, and that Google and Nest posed serious competition.
Even after Monday’s “show time” event, Apple Music is still the company’s only service available on Android. The client does feature tablet and Chromebook compatibility, with Chromecast support for playback on Google Home speakers now possibly in development.
Gboard for Android and iOS maintain relative feature parity on key functionality, but on occasion one app surpasses the other. Gboard 2.0 for iOS today adds a slew of customization options for the keyboard ranging from backgrounds, keys, and even the glide swipe trail.
The latest release of Google Chrome is rolling out today for Mac, Windows, and Linux. On desktops, Chrome 73 introduces a handful of changes related to syncing and account sign-in, as well as developer support for hardware media keys and Auto Picture-in-Picture. However, the most significant user-facing addition is a Dark Mode for macOS.
Following Ingress and Pokémon Go, formerly Google-owned Niantic’s next augmented reality experience is Wizards Unite. Leveraging Harry Potter’s Wizarding World, the premise of the game was fully detailed today, with pre-registration now available on Google Play for Android.
After releasing an incremental update for Chrome on Mac, Windows, and Linux last Friday, Google revealed yesterday that it addresses a zero-day exploit. The company’s security team advises users to update Chrome on all platforms immediately as there is evidence of a malicious party actively using the attack.
At MWC 2019, Google announced Assistant for Messages on Android, expanded availability in Google Maps, and more languages for bilingual support. The next feature for Google Home speakers and Smart Displays appears to be Apple Music integration.
In late January, Google announced a big redesign of Gmail for Android and iOS that takes advantage of its updated design language, and brings features first introduced with the web revamp last year. The Google Material Theme is now rolling out to Gmail for iOS.
There is now some uncertainty about the future of Google News in Europe after the European Union finalized its controversial new copyright legislation.
Google had previously showed how dramatically its search results could be affected, and warned that it may shut down the service in Europe …
Late last month, Google Voice for Android was updated with the Google Material Theme. The revamp is now beginning to make its way to iOS with many of the latest design stylings.
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Back at Cloud Next 2018 in July, Google previewed the Material Theme for Gmail on Android. That redesign is officially beginning to roll out today on mobile and features the company’s latest design stylings, as well as a handful of features first introduced on the web.
Night Sight rolled out to all Pixel phones in November and the results have lived up to the hype. It was compared to the iPhone XS during the Pixel 3’s launch event and Google is now continuing that photography lead with a new advertising campaign.
Last year, Amazon made waves in the smart home space by acquiring Ring for over $1 billion. Known for home security doorbells, a new report today claims that the company has a lax stance towards privacy that allowed more employees than seemingly necessary to access customers’ live camera feeds.