Switching between your favourite keyboards may very well be a lot quicker in Android 15 QPR1

Plenty of the current discourse round Android 15 recently has been about how minor of an replace it appears. I couldn’t disagree extra, however I can perceive why many customers really feel that’s the case. The explanation it appears that evidently approach is as a result of a number of Android 15’s new options and modifications are presently hidden, as Google is both concentrating on them for subsequent 12 months’s launch or making ready them for one of many upcoming quarterly platform releases. Living proof: Hidden away within the first quarterly platform launch of Android 15 is a revamped keyboard switcher that’s not solely quicker to make use of but additionally extra one-handed pleasant.

The keyboard switcher is a button that may seem within the navigation bar whenever you pull up the software program keyboard. It solely seems when you may have a number of Android keyboards put in, although, as the aim of the button is to allow you to rapidly change Android’s default keyboard. Tapping the keyboard switcher button opens a “select enter methodology” dialog in the course of the display with radio buttons to pick the enter methodology that you really want.

Whereas Android’s keyboard switcher button is definitely helpful, it’s a bit clunky. First, it takes two faucets to vary the present enter methodology. Second, it requires reaching for the center of the display to faucet one of many radio buttons. Third, its design is outdated and doesn’t match with the remainder of the OS. Google is seeking to remedy all three of those issues in Android 15 QPR1, the primary quarterly platform launch of Android 15.

With a little bit of tinkering, I managed to totally allow a revamped keyboard switcher in Android 15 QPR1 Beta 1. As you possibly can see beneath, the revamped keyboard switcher dialog seems extra trendy and suits higher with the remainder of the Materials You-themed UI parts. It’s additionally positioned a lot decrease on the display, making it simpler to choose a unique keyboard with one hand.

Extra importantly, the button itself has been modified. The button’s icon is now not an summary keyboard however fairly a wireframe globe. Tapping it a single time instantly modifications the present keyboard app. Tapping the button repeatedly switches between all of the enabled enter strategies, regardless of what number of are put in. Lastly, urgent and holding the button brings up the keyboard switcher dialog.

Though I don’t know when this new keyboard switcher expertise will really launch, I’m betting we’ll see it fairly quickly because it’s already absolutely practical. I hope that’s the case since this new expertise in Android 15 QPR1 is considerably higher than the present expertise.