Gboard could soon get a useful feature you probably assumed it already had

1 hour ago 8

Google appears to be working on support for Bluetooth microphones in Gboard
This would allow you to use microphones in earbuds or headphones for voice typing
Right now you have to use the phone's microphone, which isn't always ideal

Gboard is a capable keyboard whether you’re typing by hand or using your voice, but that latter mode could soon get substantially better, as it seems that Google is working on a feature that would let you use the microphone in your Bluetooth earbuds or headphones.

Currently, voice typing with Gboard is completely reliant on the phone’s microphone — even if you have earbuds or headphones connected.

That’s not ideal. It means you have to bring your phone close to your face or speak loudly if you’re in a noisy environment, and you might not even have realized that limitation was in place, leading to poor voice typing results when you have headphones on.

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A new toggle

A Bluetooth microphone toggle in a Gboard beta

Thankfully, the days of this limitation could be numbered, as Android Authority has found evidence that Google is working on support for Bluetooth devices. The feature was found in a beta version of the Gboard app, as you can see in the screenshot above. The site claims to have been able to enable it and that it worked as expected.

That said, with the feature still being tested internally at Google, there’s no guarantee it will actually roll out in a finished Gboard build. But we can’t see why it wouldn’t, since it’s a useful upgrade, and based on Android Authority’s findings it sounds like it works.

Given that the feature appears almost finished, there’s a good chance that it will launch soon, if it does at all. We certainly hope so, as this is one of those things that feels like it should have been offered for years.

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James is a freelance phones, tablets and wearables writer and sub-editor at TechRadar. He has a love for everything ‘smart’, from watches to lights, and can often be found arguing with AI assistants or drowning in the latest apps. James also contributes to 3G.co.uk, 4G.co.uk and 5G.co.uk and has written for T3, Digital Camera World, Clarity Media and others, with work on the web, in print and on TV.

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