Google’s split-screen keyboard has arrived on the Galaxy Z Fold 3, joining Samsung’s own effort that comes as a default option. Is there a difference between the two and how does Gboard’s split screen mode compare to the standard Samsung version that comes with the phone?
While the new keyboard mode doesn’t sound like a big deal on paper, hands-on with Gboard’s split-screen mode proves that it definitely is.
Quick refresh for Gboard
You’re probably already familiar with Google Gboard. Not only is it the default keyboard option on the Pixel series and various other Android phones, but it’s also available as a free download from Google Play to use on any Android phone. It’s also very good, with high speed and impressive typing accuracy.
Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
However, it was never designed to be used on a flip phone like the Z Fold 3. The widescreen nature of the Fold makes the keyboard stretched and unwieldy. Samsung solved this with its split-screen keyboard, placing a space in the middle and the keys clinging to the edges of the screen, ready for two-thumb typing.
Now, via a software update on the Z Fold 3 and the beta version of Gboard, Samsung’s split-screen option is no longer the only game in town, as Gboard now has its own split-screen mode.
To try it out on your phone (and remember that it’s a beta feature, which means it might not be as stable as the publicly available version), make sure your Galaxy Z Fold 3 is running the latest version of the software. From there, sign up to be a beta tester for the Google Gboard app on Google Play. Make sure Gboard is active on your Galaxy Z Fold 3 by going to General Administration pod, below settingsthen List and default keyboard to make sure it is active.
Gboard split screen vs Samsung split screen
Google’s take on the split-screen keyboard is a bit different than Samsung’s. Samsung’s keyboard has a wide center split and a dramatically spaced layout on either side of the screen. There are a total of five rows of keys, covering numbers, letters and the space bar (plus associated punctuation keys). The menu bar has options to cancel split screen or enter a “floating” keyboard mode.
Samsung keyboard split screen mode. Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
Gboard has four rows and moves the number keys to a secondary menu, but also makes them accessible by long-pressing each key in the top row. This approach makes the buttons appear larger and therefore easier to press and quickly locate. The center spacing is smaller than Samsung’s keyboard, and there is no central key wobble. It looks neater this way. The menu bar also has a button to activate the floating keyboard mode or to cancel the split screen display.
Gboard split screen mode. Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
Since the Samsung keyboard is built into One UI on the Z Fold 3, it has some tactile advantages. It has some tactile feedback for a subtle vibration every time you press one of the keys, plus each key also has an audible touch sound. But both are optional if you don’t like them. Google’s Gboard remains quiet and vibration-free while in use.
Which is better to type on?
There is a caveat before we get too deep into which one is better. Personal typing preferences aside, both keyboards will adapt to your personal typing style the more you use them, so switching to either keyboard if you’ve never used one before will lead to an adjustment period. This means that the accuracy of how you type with your fingers, predictive text, and whether it will automatically correct your common spelling mistakes will be amazing until you spend enough time with any keyboard. I used both keyboards on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 for a while, but I use Gboard on all my other Android phones.
The button activates Gboard’s split-screen mode. Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
Google’s Gboard is definitely a faster, more natural and less frustrating keyboard to type on the Galaxy Z Fold 3, compared to Samsung’s own split-screen keyboard. The four-row layout has a lot to do with this, as the keyboard feels less cramped and more suitable for different thumb sizes. It’s also useful if you’re like me and type faster and faster — and expect the keyboard to keep up with typos. Gboard recognizes them much better for me, which may be partially related to how much I use it compared to Samsung’s keyboard. However, due to the lack of decent split-screen alternatives on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 so far, I think it should have a better idea than it does.
Gboard’s speed and accuracy means I’ll continue to use it on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 unfolded, but due to the device’s unusual dual-screen design, it also needs to work properly when the phone is closed. Again, Gboard has four rows of keys on the phone’s outer screen compared to Samsung’s five, giving the impression of more typing space. Closed, I use swipe typing on the Galaxy Z Fold 3. Gboard’s fast swipe recognition is excellent and easily beats Samsung’s accuracy.
A promising look at Android’s big-screen future
The arrival of split-screen mode in Google Gboard is very good news for owners of the Galaxy Z Fold 3. Even if you like Samsung’s own split-screen keyboard, the difference between the five-row and four-row layouts can significantly affect your typing speed. Until now, I’ve been switching between Gboard on the Z Fold 3’s external display and the floating Gboard keyboard on the unfolded display — or switching to Samsung’s split-screen version for longer periods of typing. Gboard’s split-screen mode means I can use it as my only keyboard all the time.
Gboard’s split-screen mode will inevitably be part of the Android 12L update, which is designed to improve the user experience on foldable devices and tablets in the future. If Google’s rumored foldable Pixel device finally arrives, expect it to run Android 12L and feature Gboard split-screen mode. The upcoming Google Pixel tablet could also use the same software. Based on how Gboard’s split-screen mode works on the Galaxy Z Fold 3, it’s a very positive step for Google’s continued efforts to improve the way we use devices with larger screens.
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Source: newstars.edu.vn