Microsoft Word Flow iPhone Keyboard Adds Bing And GIF Search, Targets Google Gboard
Microsoft just released an updated version of Word Flow for iOS, its predictive keyboard app. The app now incorporates information from the Bing search engine and allows users to look-up and add GIFs, images, and videos. The updated version targets its stiffest competition, Google’s Gboard.
According to Microsoft, Word Flow, “is a blazing fast keyboard that comes with search (GIFs, restaurants, and more), free customization options and includes Arc mode for comfortable one-handed typing.”
Word Flow was first launched on iOS earlier this Spring. It allowed users to text via swiping and clicking on suggested words. The app also uniquely offered a wheel-like interface that would enable users to text with just their thumb. Version 2.0 also includes the ability to control the cursor placement through 3D Touch, accuracy improvements, and support for the iOS text replacement function.
Shortly after the original launch of Word Flow, Google released its own predictive keyboard app for iOS called Gboard. This app was particularly concerned about integrating the Google search engine into the texting experience. Users could look-up information on Gboard without having to switch to a web browser. Microsoft’s updated version of Word Flow is nearly identical in this respect to Gboard.
World Flow is free to download in the Apple Store. It is 64.4 MB in size and requires iOS 9.0 or higher. It is currently not working, however, in the iOS 10 developer beta. World Flow is available with the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch.
