Google is constantly updating Gboard with new features and additions. With foldable phones slowly gaining popularity, Android Police spotted the company working on a split layout for its keyboard aimed at big-screen devices back in March. Now, screenshots have emerged showing how Gboard's split layout will look like on foldable devices.
As the images from RKBDI (via 9to5Google) below show, the split mode will divide the keyboard's layout from the middle with five columns of keys on each side and a gap in the middle. The spacebar is the only exception, as it will continue to run through the space in the middle — similar to how SwiftKey's split mode works on devices with big displays. Interestingly, Google duplicates the "G" and "V" keys on both sides for easy usability.
The split layout will make it easier to reach the keys with your thumb while using a foldable, and hopefully, it will help increase your typing speed. Using Gboard in landscape mode on foldable is a bit of a chore, as it can be challenging to reach the keys in the center of the display using your thumb. The current split layout is seemingly meant for foldables and not tablets.
Gboard currently only offers a "Floating" option apart from the standard layout. In this mode, the keyboard is shrunk and detached from the bottom of the screen so it can be moved anywhere on the display. This can be useful when running multiple apps on your phone, but it doesn't aid much with two-handed typing on big screen devices.
If you have root access on your foldable device, you can enable Gboard's split mode by enabling certain flags. However, you should only try this on tablets and foldables, as the layout is broken on traditional smartphones. The screenshots indicate that Google is actively working on split mode for Gboard, and it may release it at a later date. Perhaps it'll be a similar time to Samsung unveiling its 2022 foldable lineup.