A new update for SwiftKey beta now adds the spacebar operated cursor control for the app. SwiftKey is a very popular third-party keyboard that has a good user base.
SwiftKey over time has added several new features to the keyboard app. However, one feature that was missing from the keyboard app was the cursor control. But finally, the cursor control is making its debut in the SwiftKey app.
Note that Google Gboard already has this feature, where the users can activate the cursor control from the spacebar. Though the feature seems similar to the Gboard, SwiftKey has implemented it in their own way, which is more useful.
Unlike Gboard, where you have a limited area around the spacebar to hover the cursor, with SwiftKey cursor control, you can freely move the cursor anywhere on the keyboard.
The method of triggering the cursor on SwiftKey is slightly different than Gboard
Though SwiftKey’s implementation of the cursor control is a nice touch, the process of activating is a bit different from Gboard.
For activating the Gboard cursor control, users have to slide around the spacebar to enable it. While enabling the SwiftKey cursor control, users have to hold and press the spacebar and start dragging to activate the cursor control.
Yes, it will take some practice to trigger the cursor control, but it has its advantage, i.e. more area for movement. Moreover, if SwiftKey would have gone the Gboard’s way then it would have conflicted with the former’s language selector feature.
For the unknown, while using SwiftKey, users can slide over the spacebar to change languages. So, it is understandable why SwiftKey took the other option of enabling the cursor control on their keyboard.
The Swiftkey cursor control feature is available on the new beta release
Notably, this new SwiftKey cursor control feature is available for those who are using the beta version of the app. A new update with version 7.6.2.4 is live on the Google Play Store.
However, we expect this feature to roll out to a wider audience in the stable version as well. For now, the beta version of the app has to do with and it does not actually require you to enroll yourself in any beta program or anything.
What’s more interesting is that this feature is already available on iOS since January 2020. However, the Android version of the app took a considerable amount of time to implement this new feature.
This has been one of the most requested features from the SwiftKey developers, which now finally makes its debut. This now makes it easy for sliding the text editor correctly on the small screen of their devices.
You can click the button below to download the latest version of the Microsoft SwiftKey beta app from Google Play Store.