Google Gboard for Android is Now Official

Earlier in the week, an update to Google Keyboard started an early rollout as v6.0 that turned the app into Gboard, a previously iOS exclusive keyboard experience. Google let this all go down without an announcement, so we have been wondering if and when this big change would go official. Thanks to a YouTube video that just went live on Google’s channel, today is the day. 

We have yet to see an announcement on Google’s official blog, but this video isn’t holding back. It’s titled “Gboard; now available for Android,” after all, and it links to Google Keyboard in the Play store that has already been flipped to “Gboard – the Google Keyboard.”

As a recap, Gboard is still the Google Keyboard, but it now gives you access to Google Search from your keyboard. So as you have conversations about places, restaurants, sports teams, travel plans, etc., you can look all of that up within your conversation and then share info from Search. Instead of having to exit your conversation and look up items separately in Search, the experience is now combined. Oh, you can share GIFs too. It’s pretty awesome.

What’s New

Meet Gboard: Search Google and share, right from your keyboard • Emoji search

• GIF search, available in supporting apps
• Multilingual typing:Automatically switch between your enabled languages while typing
• Streaming autocorrect: Autocorrect last two words based on context
• Predictive search:Search suggestions based on what you type
• Default number row (turn on in Keyboard Settings)
• 36 new languages

Again, the Play store paged just flipped, so it should be rolling out and available if it isn’t already. My phone received an update as v6.0.69.

Play Link