Google is working on a third-party keyboard designed for iOS devices that would incorporate search functionality, reports The Verge. Citing people familiar with Google's plans, The Verge says the keyboard, which has been in development for several months, "incorporates a variety of search options" to attract more Google search users on iOS devices.
The keyboard is said to feature gesture-based typing like Swype, allowing users to slide their fingers across the keyboard to enter letters. Tapping on a built-in Google logo brings up a web search bar, and there are also options for searching for pictures and GIFs. Design elements are not clear, but it is apparently "visually distinct" from the standard keyboard available on Android devices.
News of Google's work on an iOS keyboard comes just a few months after images surfaced of a Word Flow Windows Phone-style keyboard Microsoft is developing for iOS devices. It is not known when Google might release its keyboard, and a release date for the Microsoft keyboard is also unavailable.
Google and Microsoft's effort to develop keyboards for Apple devices is curious, as third-party keyboards have not proven to be particularly popular with iOS users due to ongoing issues with slowness, crashing, and other bugs.
Top Rated Comments
"I don't trust Google to know everything I type"
YouTube is the only owned by Google app I have... begrudgingly....bad day when Google bought it.
The Android was made just for this purpose. Create a smartphone OS and give it away. What do they get in return? They index all the text messages, web searches, sites visited, applications used, and more. It gives them a huge pile of useful information. It's brilliant and allows them to make billions from advertisers.
People value their privacy unless they feel they're getting something in return for it. Doesn't matter how cheap that thing is. Gmail may be free but there are countless other email services that are free and don't invade your privacy. Still, people are totally cool with it because they feel they've been given something.
It's funny that these same people that complain about privacy think that Facebook is invading it, while Google is not. Google is doing much more to mine your data and build a profile of you for advertising and other purposes than Facebook is at this point. Strange they see one as evil but the other as a friend.