Among the best features Google ever brought on its revamped keyboard app - Gboard - is support for emojis and Graphics Interchange Format (or GIFs in simpler terms). And now, Google has quietly updated the Gboard app for iOS to add additional support for GIFs, by adding a feature that allows you to record your own GIFs.
While the GIF-making feature has been available on Gboard iOS app since September last year, it was hidden behind the emoji button at the bottom. But now, with the latest update, Google has moved the GIF-making button onto the front of Gboard, next to the word suggestion bar.
Note: The update hasn't yet reached Android devices yet, but it is expected to be available soon.
The new GIF making feature lets users record their own GIFs with their phone's cameras – both front and rear camera. It provides two shooting modes for recording GIFs, including Loop and Fast Forward.
Also read: Worried Siri, Alexa, Google Assistant and Cortana know too much? Here's how to erase their memory
Loop is quite similar to the Boomerang feature found on Instagram, which allows users to record a short three-second video and share it with their friends. Fast Forward, on the other hand, allows the user to record a one-minute long video and then speeds it up afterwards. Once the user has finished making the GIF, he can copy and paste the GIF in a particular chat and send it to the contacts selected.
Although making GIFs isn't particularly a new thing - you can easily turn your live photos into GIFs through Google's Notion Stills app - but adding the feature to Gboard makes it much easier and fun to do. Users can simply record a funny selfie clip when they are chatting, or they can also use Live photos from iOS or other similar features to share GIFs as well. Samsung Galaxy Note series users will have an additional use for the S-Pen as it can now also be used to draw on GIFs.
Meanwhile, the new GIF-making feature is currently available only on the Gboard iOS app and not on the Android app. However, users need not be disappointed as an update bringing the feature to Android devices can be expected very soon.
Source: The Verge
