Google is said to be developing a third-party iOS keyboard, which will include a number of search options for users.
The Verge reports that the iOS keyboard will have a number of new features, which will distinguish it from the stock iOS keyboard. The Google iOS keyboard is likely to have gesture-based typing, which means customers can just slide their fingers from one letter to the other for inserting text.
Tapping on the Google logo will allow users to access traditional web search. The Google iOS keyboard is also said to have separate buttons for GIF and pictures searches, which will be powered by Google image search. The Google-developed iOS keyboard will be different than the standard keyboard found on Android.
Reports suggest that the keyboard is being tested by Google employees for months and is designed for boosting Google searches on iOS. The global online search market is dominated by Google; however, mobile-based search is less lucrative for Google when compared to desktop search.
Market experts say that about 50 percent of mobile phone users perform zero online searches in comparison to the average 1.23 searches each day for desktop users. A number of desktop-based searches are for keywords such as Gmail and Facebook. However, smartphone users do not have to search for these keywords as they can access the service by tapping on the mobile app.
The search result page normally has the highest number of expensive ads, which generates more profits for Google. A decline in this area will threaten the company's revenue, while an increase means boosting of revenues.
These factors makes Google iOS keyboard very inevitable. Third-party iOS keyboards for iPads and iPhones have been a disappointment in the past, as less iOS device owners want to switch from stock iOS keyboard. Many users do not like more than one keyboard installed on their device.
However, Google is a strong brand and a keyboard with additional search options may attract those iDevice owners, who perform regular searches via their mobile phone.
Google's Android mobile operating system is the biggest rival of iOS. However, Google supports iOS. Google has a number of apps for iOS such as YouTube, Gmail, Google Search, Google Maps, Chrome browser and more, which are used by many iDevice owners.It remains to be seen if the Google iOS keyboard is able to sway iDevice owners from the default iOS keyboard to Google's iOS keyboard in the near term.
The release date for the iOS keyboard remains unknown.
Photo: Robert Scoble | Flickr
