The latest update for Gboard on Android includes a new feature that allows users to automatically switch back to the letter keyboard after typing an apostrophe. This improvement aims to enhance user convenience when completing possessive nouns or contractions, eliminating the need to press the space bar or the ‘?123’ key.
This functionality is currently available in the beta version 16.6, although it has not yet been widely rolled out to all testers. Additionally, the stable version 16.5 introduced the Material 3 Expressive redesign, which modernizes the user interface by using containers to better organize menus.
Google is also exploring further enhancements, including redesigning the shortcuts page and introducing rounded keys. Users can disable the new apostrophe switch feature through the Settings menu under Preferences and Shortcuts.