Published on November 17th, 2023
5 Highlighted Takeaways:
- Improved Landscape Mode Typing
- Automatic Floating Window
- Beta Channel Availability
- Toggle Between Layouts
- Wider Release Expected
Unlock The Landscape Typing Secret: Gboard’s Latest Update
The latest Gboard beta version 13.6 introduces a new feature aimed at improving the landscape mode typing experience on smartphones with taller and narrower displays.
Previously, in landscape mode, the keyboard occupied the entire screen and the keys appeared stretched out.
Now, with the update, the keyboard in landscape mode automatically defaults to a floating window, as reported by Android Police. Users can drag and resize this floating window for a more customizable experience.
Testing indicates that this feature is currently active by default in the Gboard beta update on devices such as the OnePlus 11 and Xiaomi Mi 11X.
It is anticipated that all Gboard users on the beta channel will observe this change upon updating to the latest version.
For those who prefer the traditional full-size keyboard, the floating window can be dragged to the bottom of the screen, causing it to snap back to the original full-screen layout.
Users can also easily switch between the floating and full-screen layouts by tapping the menu icon on the keyboard and selecting the ‘Floating’ option.
It’s noteworthy that this isn’t the first time Gboard has experimented with defaulting the keyboard to a floating window in landscape mode. A year ago, there were reports of Google A/B testing this tweak.
However, with the current beta release, it seems to be rolling out more widely, indicating a potential future inclusion in stable builds.
Users can expect this change to enhance the overall typing experience in landscape mode on Gboard.
