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Google Developing Search-Focused Third-Party Keyboard for iOS

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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.

googlelogo-800x257.jpg

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.

Article Link: Google Developing Search-Focused Third-Party Keyboard for iOS
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2016/03/22/google-search-third-party-keyboard/
OldSchoolMacGuy

OldSchoolMacGuy

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Means that Google can capture everything you type on your keyboard. That's huge for them. Knowing everything you type in your texts and everything you type in your browser and every other app means lots of great data to use when marketing to you with ads. Super smart move on their part. Huge privacy concern but most people won't care enough to bother not using it. They're happy to let Google collect every other bit of info without question so this will be no different.
 
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Jessica Lares

Jessica Lares

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I want to see how they approach search in the keyboard. I don't think the ones that do it right now get it right. You can make the keyboard height expand, and most people would want to use this kind of feature while writing an email or text messaging, etc, so I'm not sure why they don't take advantage of it?
 
LovingTeddy

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kds1 said:
No way would I install a Google Keyboard...or Maps, or Gogle Now, or Mail, or.....

YouTube is the only owned by Google app I have... begrudgingly....bad day when Google bought it.
Click to expand...


Too bad... If this is true, it will get millions of download... I will install it on my iPhone to test it out (finally I can take it out from my drawer for almost half years)... It will sync all my dictionaries across devices. Sweet.

Apple's crappy keyboard is no comparison with Google's keyboard on Android (and so is iOS is no comparison with Android)

Using Android daily and iPad. Using everything Google. Enjoying syncing all my stuff across devices. No way I will get back to Apple's walled garden. And Apple Maps still sucks...
 
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AbSoluTc

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LovingTeddy said:
Too bad... If this is true, it will get millions of download... I will install it on my iPhone to test it out (finally I can take it out from my drawer for almost half years)... It will sync all my dictionaries across devices. Sweet.

Apple's crappy keyboard is no comparison with Google's keyboard on Android (and so is iOS is no comparison with Android)

Using Android daily and iPad. Using everything Google. Enjoying syncing all my stuff across devices. No way I will get back to Apple's walled garden. And Apple Maps still sucks...
Click to expand...

Oh Canada.

You do realize all Apple's stuff syncs across all devices too right? Walled garden? Curious what I can't do on iOS that you can on Android.
 
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djgamble

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OldSchoolMacGuy said:
Means that Google can capture everything you type on your keyboard. That's huge for them. Knowing everything you type in your texts and everything you type in your browser and every other app means lots of great data to use when marketing to you with ads. Super smart move on their part. Huge privacy concern but most people won't care enough to bother not using it. They're happy to let Google collect every other bit of info without question so this will be no different.
Click to expand...

Yep and if I were to post that in /r/privacy on Reddit I'd get downvoted to oblivion by people who trust Google with their lives but can't trust the cops with a criminal's 'private' data.
 
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thekeyring

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LovingTeddy said:
Too bad... If this is true, it will get millions of download... I will install it on my iPhone to test it out (finally I can take it out from my drawer for almost half years)... It will sync all my dictionaries across devices. Sweet.

Apple's crappy keyboard is no comparison with Google's keyboard on Android (and so is iOS is no comparison with Android)

Using Android daily and iPad. Using everything Google. Enjoying syncing all my stuff across devices. No way I will get back to Apple's walled garden. And Apple Maps still sucks...
Click to expand...

You run Android on an iPad? How?

Also, if Apple's 'walled garden' sucks then why are you here?
 
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OldSchoolMacGuy

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djgamble said:
Yep and if I were to post that in /r/privacy on Reddit I'd get downvoted to oblivion by people who trust Google with their lives but can't trust the cops with a criminal's 'private' data.
Click to expand...

Pretty funny how it works. People are paranoid about how companies are using their information but that never applies to Google. When you point out that they index everything in each email you send and receive (try writing an email where you mention socks a number of times and see how many socks ads you start seeing), they shrug and are totally cool with 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.
 
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LovingTeddy

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AbSoluTc said:
Oh Canada.

You do realize all Apple's stuff syncs across all devices too right? Walled garden? Curious what I can't do on iOS that you can on Android.
Click to expand...


Tell me hownto I sync my contact, notes, messages, maps with iClound between iOS and Android? No right. OK, let us move to next topic.

Can you USB OTG cable on iPhone? Can you actually download files from internet to your storage without going to an app? Can iOS format SD card and use as internal stotage, so you don't have to shell out 100 dollars for storage bump? Can you use split screen multitasking with iPhone? Do you have Google now integration with iOS? Is there way to change default apps with iOS? Is there any proper file managers with iOS?

If iOS can do any of this and more, then you have a point. Otherwise, iOS is just other OS that is less advanced than Android.
 
Madmic23

Madmic23

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OldSchoolMacGuy said:
Pretty funny how it works. People are paranoid about how companies are using their information but that never applies to Google. When you point out that they index everything in each email you send and receive (try writing an email where you mention socks a number of times and see how many socks ads you start seeing), they shrug and are totally cool with 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.
Click to expand...

I don't understand why people have a problem with this. Google builds a profile of you and then show you an ad based on that profile. They don't have an actual person reading your emails and they don't show your data to advertisers. Advertisers say to Google "show this ad to everyone from 25 - 30 years old who has a cat and likes Justin Bieber." Google does that, tells the advertiser "we showed this to 1000 people" and then gets paid for it. Google doesn't go to the advertiser and say "hey guess what, Jimmy is a big Bieber fan, you should market to him based on that. Here's where he lives."

If I have to see ads while I'm browsing or watching YouTube, I would much rather see ads that are relevant to me instead of ads for stuff I just don't care about.

And Apple does the same thing, just not as much. Ever heard of a Genius playlist in iTunes? How do you think they come up with those?

"When you opt in to the Genius feature, Apple will, from time to time, automatically collect information that can be used to identify media in your iTunes library on any Genius-enabled device, such as your play history and playlists. This includes media purchased or acquired through iTunes and media obtained from other sources. This information will be stored anonymously and will not be associated with your name or Account. When you use the Genius feature, Apple will use this information and the contents of your iTunes library, as well as other information, to give personalized recommendations to you."
http://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/jpen/terms.html
 
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LovingTeddy

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thekeyring said:
You run Android on an iPad? How?

Also, if Apple's 'walled garden' sucks then why are you here?
Click to expand...

I don't run Android on iPad, there is no good Android tablet and Android tablet app still sucks. iPad is the best tablet, that is it.

Last time I call, there is a section called alternatives to iOS, so this forum is not only to Apple fans, right?

And "walled garddn" suck...
 
G

GeneralChang

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Dec 2, 2013
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Do you think anyone at Microsoft or Google has actually used third-party keyboards on iOS? Because iOS users are not going to use these keyboards and think "hey, maybe I should switch to Android/Windows Phone!" They're going to use them and think "these are way less consistent and responsive than the default iOS keyboard, I think I'll just stick with iOS."
[doublepost=1458749268][/doublepost]
LovingTeddy said:
Too bad... If this is true, it will get millions of download... I will install it on my iPhone to test it out (finally I can take it out from my drawer for almost half years)... It will sync all my dictionaries across devices. Sweet.

Apple's crappy keyboard is no comparison with Google's keyboard on Android (and so is iOS is no comparison with Android)

Using Android daily and iPad. Using everything Google. Enjoying syncing all my stuff across devices. No way I will get back to Apple's walled garden. And Apple Maps still sucks...
Click to expand...
You forgot to preface everything with "I think." I'll give you an example: "I think Apple's crappy keyboard is no comparison with Google's keyboard on Android." There, now you're facilitating discussion instead of looking like a troll.

Incidentally, my personal experience with both tends to lean in favor of the iOS keyboard. They're both perfectly functional, but the iOS keyboard knows my typing habits better than Android. Which is probably because I use the iOS keyboard more frequently. Because it knows me better. Because I use it more.

I'll admit that might be a self-perpetuating trend.
 
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