One of the key features of Windows/macOS/Linux is the ability to copy images to your clipboard and paste them into any platform that accepts them as input.
Given the popularity of images on social media (and Disqus), it's almost an essential feature right now.
Mobile users, on the other hand, still struggle to manually upload an image to comments. That's set to change with a future version of Gboard that will let users copy images and paste them directly as input.
Gboard will be able to paste images directly into most instant messaging applications
The XDA Developers they stumbled across the next feature in their latest APK teardown. In its current form, it is only capable of getting images from Google Chrome.
To enable it, type “chrome://flags” in your browser, search for “copy image” in the search bar, and enable the flag. Once it's enabled, you'll see a new option to copy an image once you long press it.
As the feature is still in testing, an image copied to the clipboard cannot be pasted into any other application. XDA speculates that the feature will come to Gboard in version 9.0.2.
It will reportedly work on a host of apps including Google Messages, WhatsApp, Facebook, Messenger, Samsung Messages, Twitter, Snapchat, Skype, WeChat, Google Docs, Hangouts and more. The lack of Telegram and Instagram on that list is a bit disconcerting, but we should see more apps support the feature once it's officially available.
However, it could be a while before we see it in action. The implementation will be particularly difficult for devices running Android 10, as it only allows apps to run in the foreground and default keyboard access to the clipboard.
But if done right, the feature alone should be enough to convince many users to switch to Gboard.