Gboard is one of the best, if not the best, keyboard apps for smartphones. It is full of features and provides a smooth response, which is what users want from a keyboard app. Talking about the floating keyboard feature, it was introduced back in 2018. This mode lets you pop up the keyboard on your smartphone and place it anywhere on the screen. Thus making it easier to type on big-screen smartphones or one-hand operation. However, the company did not revamp or brought any new changes to the Gboard floating keyboard feature in the last two years. So, is about time the feature got some updates. In an APK teardown of the Gboard app by XDA Developers, Google is spotted adding a more rounded design for the floating keyboard. Moreover, the drag handle is now also attached to the floating window instead of sticking out of the bottom.
Gboard’s changes and new features seem a part of the Material You design makeover
The new floating window has already started showing up for some users. This new design of the Gboard floating window seems in line with the Material You design makeover all other Google stock apps are receiving. Android 12’s dynamic theming is now also under testing for Gboard. For those who don’t know, the dynamic theme engine changes the color of the user interface based on the dominant color of your applied wallpaper. Further, the language picker is now more round in shape and features larger text, again following Android 12’s style. The text entry field is also now placed under a bubble. The add-to-dictionary button is a new addition that is found under testing for the Gboard app by the GoogleNews Telegram channel. Unrecognized words can now be added to your personal dictionary. All you need to do is tap on the button that appears when Gboard thinks you have made a typo. Some features of the Gboard mentioned above have started appearing for some users. So, you can expect a wider rollout in the coming days. The point to note here is not all features that are spotted during an APK teardown will see the light of the day. It all depends on the response and how well the feature performs for the developers to include them in future updates.
