Google may be working on creating a third-party keyboard for iPhones. According to a report by The Verge, the new keyboard might be equipped with some additional features to help it stand out from the default iOS keyboard. The keyboard has been tipped to come with gesture-based typing and a dedicated button for Google search. Additionally, the keyboard may also allow search by images and GIFs. The keyboard has apparently been in circulation among Google’s employees for months. As per the report, the reason behind the keyboard may be to drive additional traffic to Google search via iOS. However, it is not yet known if or when Google will release the keyboard.
Google may not be the only company planning to release a third-party keyboard for iOS. Back in January, it was reported that Microsoft was planning to release its Word Flow keyboard for iOS. The keyboard also has a one-handed mode in which the keys are laid out like a fan. The ability to add third party keyboards to iOS was introduced with iOS 8 and keyboards such as Swype are available for purchase from the App Store.