Gboard for Android has undergone a redesign, but beta users are not impressed with the changes.
Bryan M. Wolfe / Digital Trends
A transformation is in progress for Gboard users on Android as Google starts rolling out a revamped keyboard layout. This update introduces circular and pill-shaped keys to a select group of beta testers, moving away from the standard rounded rectangle keys. The letter keys will now be circular, while the space bar and other functional keys will take on a pill shape to improve usability and aesthetics.
This redesign is included in the latest Gboard beta (version 15.1), which is currently in its initial phases and has not yet been broadly released to all participants in the testing program.
Android Authority
Recent updates have also been made to the Gboard toolbars, featuring a refined shortcut button for easier access to key functions. The revised Dynamic Color theme has been optimized to better align with Android’s material design principles, offering users a refreshed interface.
These changes aim to revitalize the keyboard's look and enhance user engagement. However, not everyone is pleased with the alterations.
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For instance, users on Reddit have expressed that the latest changes are “awful” and “annoying.” One user commented: “The graphic designer in me is just hurt looking at this. Atrocious, atrocious typography.” Similarly, comments on X are almost unanimously negative regarding the new key shapes.
Google has not yet disclosed when these keyboard changes will be accessible to regular Android users or if there will be an option to revert to the previous design.
Gboard on Android was first launched in December 2016, following its introduction on iOS in May 2016.
Bryan M. Wolfe has over a decade of experience as a technology writer, focusing on mobile.
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Gboard for Android has undergone a redesign, but beta users are not impressed with the changes.
Further updates are on the way for Gboard on Android, and not everyone is pleased with the changes.