Just a few months ago, Google released their own third-party keyboard for iOS, it was named ‘Gboard’. It was a release that made a lot of Android users a bit jealous, and for one reason. It had integrated search. Allowing users to search for things like flights, GIFs and much more, without even leaving the app you were already in. Well, the functionality is now available on Android, and the Google Keyboard has been renamed in version 6.0. It is now simply Gboard.
There’s no official changelog available, but it appears that the only new features in this update is in relation to the Gboard features on iOS. Allowing you to tap on the G button to search from the keyboard. There’s also a pop-out toolbar which gives you access to things like search, one-handed mode and settings. You can also now search for emoji, and gesture typing has been renamed to Glide typing. Perhaps the most underrated change in this update is the ability to have up to three languages active at a time. Previously, you had to switch manually between languages. This is great for those that are multilingual. Google has also finally added a dedicated number row to the keyboard. This makes typing in passwords much easier, especially since most sites require passwords to have both numbers and letters in the password these days.
The update to version 6.0 is in a staged rollout, as it usually is. However you can download the update right now and sideload it onto your smartphone, using the download link below. Simply download the APK, then go into the settings of your device, go under Security and then check “Unknown Sources”. After that is done, simply open the APK and you’ll be able to install the update. Remember that the APK is going to replace your existing version of the Google Keyboard, so it may be a good idea to back it up, in case anything happens. However, if you’d rather wait for the update to come to your device through the Play Store, it should be available in the next few days.
Download: Gboard