According to a report from The Verge, Google is building its own third-party keyboard for iOS and has been doing so for “months.” While it’s unclear when or if the keyboard will be released, the report notes of several features Google has been working to implement as employees test it.
For one, Google’s keyboard is said to be gesture-based, must like SwiftKey and Swipe, which are already available for iOS. Furthermore, the keyboard will supposedly feature word prediction, much like the built-in iOS keyboard.
Given that Google is a search company at heart, the ability to quickly perform queries from the keyboard is reportedly there. Users would be able to tap the Google logo on the keyboard to instantly perform a web search, the report claims. There will also supposedly be built-in GIF and image search functionalities powered by Google Image Search, something that Google’s keyboard on Android lacks.
Google’s motive to release an iOS keyboard is pretty clear. Doing so would undoubtedly drive searches performed through Google thanks to the rumored built-in quick search button on the keyboard. Search, of course, is where Google shows its most expensive ads, so to keep growing its search business is an important task for the company.
Although, one thing Google would have to keep in mind is that third-party keyboards have never been incredibly popular on iOS. Support for third-party keyboards was added in iOS 8, but many users have opted to stick with the default keyboard from Apple. Whether or not Google is able to sway users remains to be seen. With features like built-in GIF and image search, not to mention Google’s history of building quality software for iOS, the company’s offering definitely sounds tempting.
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Hmm… Are keyboards allowed to show ads?
no but they can probably take data of what you typed.
Which is why I don’t use Swiftkey.
Apple (if you give them money of course) let app developers place targeted adverts in their application based upon all the juicy information they hold on you.
But let’s just pretend that they don’t so that your rose tinted glasses don’t slip off.
Actually, the ads are usually based on whatever ad platform the developer chooses to use. Most of the time, that is Google Adsense and not Apple iAd. Even more often, ads in iOS apps are just links to other apps in that developer/publisher’s catalog and have nothing to do with any personal information. So, speaking of rose glasses, I think your have given you tunnel vision on the subject.
No, they are just recording what in your mind.
Can’t wait! Letting Google record my every keystroke is a small price to pay for such a thing!
Don’t you worry – it comes with a tinfoil hat as well.
It’ll match yours perfectly.
You do realize that Google does, in fact, record pretty much EVERYTHING you do on one of their services in order to target you for their ads. This profiling is also a deadly weapon in the wrong hands. Though, if you are smart, you know how to “opt out” of such things.
Since the announcement of third party keyboard, I have tried the best in the market “SwiftKey” for few hours only.
Why would I need a keyboard to instantly perform a web search, where I can do right from the home screen “swipe down and start typing”.
I barely use Google’s the only app I have on my iPhone “Google Maps”
Not to mention some of us use DuckDuckGo…
I stopped using Google as my default search engine on my iOS devices ever since Apple added support for DuckDuckGo.
R’Amen to that! I love DuckDuckGo. Privacy matters whether I am looking up recipes, game guides, news, etc.
hopefully it actually syncs across devices since I can never get that function to work on various android devices running recent Android (Kitkat and above). I’m not liking swiping on both iOS/Android using Swiftkey and Swype doesn’t sync across iOS and Android.
Google will log every single key stroke I guarantee it
Install a keyboard from Google ??!??
Best be very careful about what permissions you click ‘OK’ to.
That keyboard is going to be phoning home with your every keystroke.
Imagine if NSA offered you a ‘free’ keyboard app. Except NSA has no interest in my data – Google is very interested.