Google has launched a new Google Handwriting Input which allows users to write text on their Android devices as an additional input method for any Android app. Users with Android 4.0.3 version (and up) will now be able to put text into any app by writing onto the device’s screen. Google Handwriting Input will also support emojis, for which users will just need to draw an emoji on the screen and it get displayed on the screen. Google’s new tool will support 82 languages in 20 distinct scripts.
Google’s Research Blog
stated, “Entering text on mobile devices is still considered inconvenient by many; touchscreen keyboards, although much improved over the years, require a lot of attention to hit the right buttons. It adds, “Voice input is an option, but there are situations where it is not feasible, such as in a noisy environment or during a meeting. Using handwriting as an input method can allow for natural and intuitive input method for text entry which complements typing and speech input methods.” [caption id=“attachment_263626” align=“aligncenter” width=“640”]
Image: Google Research Blog[/caption] A report by TechCrunch
pointed out that this is not Google’s first attempt into handwriting recognition but rather its the first time it is bringing support for its handwriting tools to all Android devices. In the past, Google had featured the handwriting recognition in the Google Translate app, mobile search and through the Google Input Tool. The Google Handwriting Input is now available for Android devices on the
Google Play Store
.