Google reportedly developing keyboard for iPhone

PanARMENIAN.Net - Google has been developing a third-party keyboard for iOS that would put the company’s search engine in a highly used part of the interface, the Verge reports exclusively.

The keyboard, which incorporates a variety of search options, has been in development for months, according to people familiar with the matter. It’s unclear whether or when Google plans to release it, the Verge says. The company declined to comment.

The Google keyboard incorporates a number of features meant to distinguish it from the stock iOS keyboard. Like its Android counterpart, the Google keyboard for iOS employs gesture-based typing, so you can slide your finger from one letter to the next and let Google guess your intended word, the Verge says.

Tap the Google logo and you can access traditional web search. It also appears to have distinct buttons for pictures and GIF searches, both presumably powered by Google image search. The keyboard is visually distinct from the standard Android keyboard, which incorporates voice search but no text or image-based searching.