Google Starts Showing Google Brand Name On Android Gboard Spacebar

Google has made some changes to its standard keyboard called Gboard for the Android mobile operating system, one of which is particularly eye-catching. A Google lettering ad is now emblazoned on the spacebar.

The recent changes made with an update from Gboard probably affect all devices on which the keyboard app developed by Google is used. Typically, the keyboard is pleasantly quick to use and has some useful additions, such as a web-based spelling correction and word suggestions.

With the latest update, it has now been ensured that a clearly recognizable Google logo can be seen on the space button at the bottom of the screen. This serves no other purpose since it does not imply quick access to the input for searching the web or similar added value. Instead, you can switch between the different keyboards installed on the respective smartphone as before by simply holding the space bar.

Why Google considers it important to display its company logo on the Gboard space bar has so far been completely unclear. For many users of the app, the change is anything but good, as various complaints in the Google help forums and on the Reddit discussion platform show. Google has not yet commented on the topic.

If you no longer want to see the Google logo on your Gboard keyboard, you can force this by adding a second keyboard language. If you add a different keyboard variant e.g. different languages in the settings, Google advertising will disappear on its own. It would be conceivable that Google wants to make the change clearer that the devices used with its software are Android-based products, in order to strengthen the presence of its brand.