Forget the keyboard, here's the Gboard: Google launches alternative iPhone typing system complete with GIFs and search bar
- Gboard is available through App Store, and so far only comes in English
- Users will see small 'G' in the text screen, which can run Google searches
- Search results can easily be shared by tapping to copy, and pasting to text
- It allows you to search for GIFs in text screen and search for specific emoji
Google's new keyboard for iOS combines the features from your all of your favourite texting apps into a single platform.
'Gboard' has a search engine embedded into the keyboard, allowing you to find and share information, GIFs, and even the right emoji without ever switching screens.
It's even equipped with Glide Typing, for easier one-handed texting.
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Apart from a different font and lighter colour-scheme, Gboard doesn't look much different than the standard iOS keyboard. But, at the top left, Gboard users will see a small Google 'G.' Pressing this button opens up a search bar right within the keyboard. To share results, tap the website card and then paste it into the text
Gboard is available today through the App Store, and so far only comes in English in the US.
But, the team says more languages are soon to follow.
'Searching and sending stuff on your phone shouldn’t be that difficult,' it said.
'With Gboard, you can search and send all kinds of things—restaurant info, flight times, news articles—right from your keyboard.
'Anything you’d search on Google, you can search with Gboard.'
Results appear as cards with the key information front and center, such as the phone number, ratings and hours.
According to the firm, the keyboard is designed to keep your information private.
Your search query will be sent to the servers, and the platform will send anonymous statistics when the app crashes to diagnose problems, and let them know which features are most popular.
Apart from this, the firm says 'everything else,' will not be sent to Google, so your data remains stored on your device, and is not accessible by Google or any other apps.
'With Gboard, you can search and send all kinds of things – restaurant info, flight times, new articles – right from your keyboard,' writes Rajan Patel, Principal Engineer in a Google Blog post.
Apart from a different font and lighter colour-scheme, Gboard doesn't look much different than the standard iOS keyboard.
But, at the top left, Gboard users will see a small Google 'G.'
Pressing this button opens up a search bar right within the keyboard.
So, you can search restaurants, venues, or anything else, and share this information with the person you're texting.
This is done by tapping the website's card in the Google search, and then pasting it into the text.
And, to the delight of many GIF users, the keyboard also has a built-in GIF search.
This can be found by clicking the smiley face at the bottom left, where you'd normally pull-up the emoji catalogue.
Emojis will still be there, but next to this is a now 'GIF' option.
This makes it easier than ever to find the perfect GIF reactions almost instantly. Just search a term, click on the one you like, and paste it into the message.
A similar feature now works to make it easier to find the right emoji as well.
In the expanse of the ever-growing emoji collection, it can be difficult to quickly locate the one you're looking for.
But now, you can just type in the terms that describe that particular emoji, and those that apply will all show up.
Since these features all work through a single keyboard, these capabilities aren't just limited to text – you can use it in any app, including social media and email.
Glide Typing will allow you to type with one hand, very similar to the 'Swipe' feature used by Android.
To do this, just drag your thumb across the letters to spell out a word, and lift to add a space.
The keyboard also has a built-in GIF search, pictured right. This makes it easier than ever to find the perfect GIF reactions almost instantly. Just search a term, click on the one you like, and paste it into the message. You can also search for specific emojis using the search bar
Setting up the keyboard is fairly straightforward.
After downloading the free Gboard app, users will be prompted to follow a few steps to set up the new keyboard.
Once you've added the keyboard and allowed access, Gboard will be ready to use.
Open up your a text conversation and tap the little globe in the bottom left corner.
The keyboard will then switch to Gboard.
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