Although the standard iOS keyboard is sufficient for most users, there is also plenty of choice if you want more functions. Google Gboard is our favorite.
Eyeball: Google Gboard
The standard iOS keyboard does a great job. It is clear, simple and if you want to type purely, you don’t need anything anymore. But once you’ve tried a keyboard that makes typing faster and has a ton of really useful features too? Then you don’t want to go back. We have that with Gboard.
Gboard is Google’s official keyboard. However, if you think this is an Android keyboard that only later transferred to iOS, then you are wrong. Gboard was first released for iOS. It was not until more than six months later that Android users were also allowed to work with it.
Swipe to type
Gboard lets you type in a completely different way, namely by swiping. Of course, the Google keyboard is not unique in that. An app like the popular SwiftKey also lets you swipe typing. This may take some getting used to, but it is much faster than pressing every key.
With Gboard, you can set multiple languages ​​that you can switch between by tapping the globe. This is necessary for predicting your words. Because you quickly swipe over your keyboard to form words, the app must recognize what you type from, for example, the Dutch or English dictionary.
Google uses machine learning to understand better and better what you want. You do not always have to touch exactly the right keys while swiping. Things don’t always go well, but when you’re around, Gboard often knows what you mean. It is of course also possible to press each key separately in the old-fashioned way.
More functions
The keyboard also has a bunch of useful functions with things you use where you type texts. Think of an extensive emoji keyboard with a separate search engine, so you can quickly find the right emoji. Also included with the emoji keyboard is a gif picker and an option to draw pictures. The app also has a mode for typing with a single hand.
The nicest addition, however, is hidden under the G icon. This is a Google search engine processed in the keyboard. You use this to search for all kinds of relevant information. Think of nearby restaurants, news, sports results, but also videos, images and gifs. You copy these things and paste them into a conversation.
Even more
While Gboard on iOS is already quite complete, the Android version has since caught up with more features. For example, the Android app has built-in Google Translate and you can search for emoji via a drawing with the latest version.
It is also handy that Gboard has integration with Google Maps and YouTube. With the Google Maps function it is possible to send your current location to a contact, or to send an address when you meet somewhere. With the YouTube function, you can search the video service and share a video. This is not possible everywhere on iOS. For example, it can be done via iMessage, but not with Telegram. All in all, there is still a lot of improvement possible with the iOS version, but we are also very satisfied as it is now.
→ Download Gboard from the App Store (free)
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