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).
Google today provided an update on its work with Exposure Notifications to help combat COVID-19. This includes improvements to the underlying API, adoption by US states, and user-facing tweaks since May.
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Back in May, Google quietly marked the fifth anniversary of Photos with direct album sharing. Google Photos today is now getting a big redesign that modernizes the mobile app’s look, and very notably its icon.
Before the launch of Android and the T-Mobile G1, Steve Jobs had quite a close relationship with Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin. Rare pictures of Jobs, Page, and then-Google CEO Eric Schmidt at the Googleplex have surfaced today.
Electronic SIM cards are remarkably convenient and do away with the need for a tiny piece of plastic when setting up cellular service. After supporting Pixel devices for several years, Google Fi can now be activated on an iPhone through eSIM.
Following a string of other tech cancellations in recent days, Google just announced that it will not host an in-person I/O 2020 over coronavirus concerns. The company is looking into an alternative format.
Essential Products announced today that it’s ceasing operations and shutting down. Founded by the controversial Andy Rubin, the start-up last August showed off a radical ‘GEM’ smartphone.
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Back in 2017, Twitter killed 6-second looping video service Vine. Two years later, co-founder Dom Hofmann teased a return, and last April introduced a closed beta. Byte today is officially launching for Android and iOS.
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.