Gboard is rolling out a new emoji picker that’s optimized for tablets and foldables

Google’s keyboard app is getting a better UI for picking emojis, stickers, GIFs, and emoticons on tablets and foldables

Gboard is rolling out a new emoji picker that’s optimized for tablets and foldables
  • Google is redesigning the UI for picking emojis, stickers, GIFs, and emoticons in Gboard for tablets and foldables.
  • The redesigned UI moves the search bar and categories from the top to the left side on both tablets and foldables.
  • On tablets, the bottom toolbar, where you switch between the emoji, sticker, GIF, and emoticon picker, has also been moved to the left.

Google’s keyboard app for Android, Gboard, is available on not only smartphones but also tablets, foldables, smartwatches, TVs, and even cars. Google had to do a lot of work to optimize Gboard for each form factor, but there’s always more that can be done to make the keyboard app look and perform even better. The company is now rolling out an update that further optimizes the Gboard for large-screen Android devices.

Earlier today, I spotted a new UI for picking emojis, stickers, GIFs, and emoticons in the Gboard app while using my Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, a book-style foldable, in its unfolded state. I turned on my OnePlus Open and checked if the new picker UI was also there when it was unfolded, but it wasn’t. However, after updating from Gboard version 14.5.05-beta to version 14.6.02-beta on my OnePlus Open, the new picker UI showed up.