Microsoft Takes a Page Out of Google’s Playbook for SwiftKey

Microsoft is introducing somewhat of a major feature for SwiftKey on Android. The company is now building a search feature right into the keyboard, much like Google’s Gboard.

The new search feature, powered by Bing, isn’t as powerful as Gboard, however. It does take a different approach to things here, though.

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You can search for anything you want on the keyboard, and directly share the link into a conversation, for example. And that’s pretty basic, of course. But the feature actually lets you “crop” a webpage — and that’s essentially allowing you to screenshot and crop a specific part of a webpage or search, and link it directly into wherever you want.

The feature is much more limited than Gboard where you can search things like stickers, GIFs, emojis, and much more. I’m guessing this is just the first version of the search feature on SwiftKey, and it will likely develop over time, much like how Gboard matured.

The feature is launching only in 11 countries, starting with the US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Australia, Japan, Brazil, India, Italy and Spain. The feature is apparently “exclusive” to SwiftKey for Android, so if you do happen to be using SwiftKey on your iPhone, you likely won’t be getting it anytime soon.

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Conversation 6 comments

  • RonH

    Premium Member
    29 November, 2018 - 12:14 pm

    <p>Looking forward to testing this. </p><p>What we really need in SwiftKey is a cursor controls like iPhone has or bring back the Windows Phone nubbin. </p><p><br></p><p><img src="">https://www.neowin.net/news/windows-10-for-phones-keyboard-has-a-nubbin-here039s-how-it-works</p><p><br></p&gt;

  • bluvg

    29 November, 2018 - 1:35 pm

    <p>"The feature is much more limited than Gboard where you can search things like stickers, GIFs, emojis, and much more."</p><p><br></p><p>You can already search for GIFs and emoji in SwiftKey (on iOS as well).</p>

    • dontbe evil

      29 November, 2018 - 3:25 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#374887">In reply to bluvg:</a></em></blockquote><p>once this website really knew about MS stuff</p>

  • wright_is

    Premium Member
    30 November, 2018 - 2:19 am

    <p>Why?</p><p>It is a keyboard, it should be light, quick and simple. If I want to search, I'll go to search, the keyboard should do one job and do it well. SwiftKey is not very reliable at prediction as it is, they should concentrate on getting the core functionality working properly, before adding more bells and whistles.</p><p>The keyboard on Windows 10 Mobile was much better than the current implementation fo SwiftKey.</p>

  • wright_is

    Premium Member
    30 November, 2018 - 7:18 am

    <p>I got the update on both of my phones and neither is showing search. (Germany using German and English)</p>

  • blcktrgrp

    17 December, 2018 - 2:17 am

    <p>thx for this information nice <a href="www.papexport.com" target="_blank">cloud</a> information </p>

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