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Google Introduces New Bitcoin Keyboard Currency Symbol

In what some view as a landmark move, Google developers have added the bitcoin currency symbol to the iOS keyboard. The move, by a company so successful it’s evolved its domain name into a verb, reflects Bitcoin’s mainstream trajectory.

Also read: 10 Years Ago Bitcoin’s Genesis Block Changed the Course of History

An Unlikely Love Story: Apple, Bitcoin and a Currency Symbol

The bitcoin symbol, which has seen deployed in a shortcuts app to aid Siri with command execution, is available on the Google Keyboard on iOS devices. Apple’s native keyboard does not have this functionality.

Standing tall among the world’s greats, behold Google’s new bitcoin currency symbol.

A Reddit user explained how to produce the key manually: “If any of you guys want to be able to type it, the Unicode code point it: U+20BF. For me, on Linux this means hitting Ctrl-Shift-U then releasing and typing 20BF or 20bf since caps don’t seem to matter which produces a nice ₿.”

For Windows, another user proved just why an Android symbol would be very welcome indeed: “On windows, you first have to edit the registry. In order to enable a universal (independent of language settings) input method in Windows, one can add a string type (REG_SZ) value called EnableHexNumpad to the registry key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Input Method and assign the value data 1 to it. Users need to log off/in on Windows 8.1/8.0, Windows 7, and Vista or reboot on earlier systems after editing the registry for this input method to start working. Then, holding ALT and typing “+20BF” should give ₿.”

It’s unclear why Google has opted to add the bitcoin symbol to Apple’s interface and not yet to that of Android. Apple’s penchant for privacy is a good fit for bitcoin users, yet its wallet-gobbling insistence on proprietary software is in direct contrast to Bitcoin’s – and Google’s, for that matter – open-source nature. With most privacy-minded individuals opting for Android over iOS, it’s thus slightly ironic that the bitcoin symbol, a currency arguably geared towards the privacy-conscious, is available exclusively on iOS. Even more ironic is the fact that most iOS users tend to use the native Apple keyboard as opposed to the Google version, pointing to Google’s permissions requirement as an adoption deterrent.

From Brand Recognition to Brand Adoption in a Single Keystroke

If brand recognition is any indication of eventual mainstream acceptance then Google’s addition of a bitcoin currency symbol to its native iOS keyboard is a sizeable arrow pointing in the right direction.

The symbol now features on the Google keyboard currency strip alongside the dollar, euro, yen, pound, Korean won, Russian ruble, Indian rupee, and the cent symbol.

It’s alluring to fall into the honey trap that this spells significant news. The tech conglomerate, which under the guise of parent company Alphabet co-founder and president Sergey Brin once admitted that it “failed to be on the bleeding edge [of blockchain]” is finally coming around. That Alphabet is going Bitcoin, and then – just maybe – crypto. (Especially in light of Google’s AI defining bitcoin as a “collapsed economic bubble” or making the cryptocurrency industry the butt of a launch joke.)

After all, in the period 2012-2017, Google placed second as the most active corporate investor in the blockchain space. And rumors regarding a cryptocurrency of Google’s own making have been circulating for a while, but that seems far-fetched, with Brin admitting as recently as last year that he doesn’t know “a whole lot about cryptocurrency” save for an amateur ethereum mining rig he’d set up with his son.

Offering a Window Into the World’s Collective Conscious

While the addition of a bitcoin currency symbol certainly shows Google isn’t turning a blind eye on the world of crypto, this latest news is unlikely to signal Alphabet’s foray into the land of cryptopia. Instead, for a company that makes billions out of listening to us ask questions, it’s only natural that they would give us what we want. According to Google Trends, the search query “What is bitcoin” was the year’s top in the U.S. and U.K. in 2018. A company that, in layman’s terms, “owns the internet” can only stay top by doing what it does best: playing host to the globe’s digital hive mind. And if that collective mind wants bitcoin, then bitcoin is what it’ll get.

The ivory tower where cryptocurrency ads go to die or currency symbols to be born.

Google has a significant effect on the cryptocurrency market. Unlike other movers and shakers holding the stock market in the palm of their hands, it’s primarily a content ledger, whether that content is organic or paid. Yet when the bitcoin price dropped by 11 percent after Google announced it would follow in Facebook’s footsteps and restrict the display of crypto ads in 2018 (a ban that’s since partially been lifted), it drove home the reality that Google has more of a say in crypto-land than many would like.

Time will tell what cascading effect the addition of the bitcoin symbol will have in the minds of everyday iOS users. And, of course, when Android users will get to greet the new family member.

What do you make of the addition of a bitcoin currency symbol to iOS? Tell us in the comments section below.

Images courtesy of Shutterstock and Reddit. 

Do you like to research and read about Bitcoin technology? Check out Bitcoin.com’s Wiki page for an in-depth look at Bitcoin’s innovative technology and interesting history.

Tags in this story Apple iOS, Bitcoin, Bitcoin adoption, British Pound, Currency, Euro, Google, Indian Rupee, Japanese yen, N-Featured, Russian rubles, South Korean Won, US Dollar Nadja Bester

Nadja has been involved in the cryptocurrency industry in numerous capacities, ranging from journalist, writer, marketing and communications specialist, and speaker. She has reported on cryptocurrency since 2017.

Google Introduces Bitcoin Symbol on iOS Keyboards

Google now enables the Bitcoin symbol on keyboards for iOS mobile devices, suggesting that the IT giant recognizes Bitcoin as a mainstream currency.

Google’s Legitimization of Bitcoin

Users of iOS mobile devices can now use the capital letter serif B, traversed with two vertical lines.  Crypto journalist Tim Copeland explains,

“To access it, make sure you’re using the Google keyboard, not just the default Apple one, and hold down the dollar symbol to see a pop up of several of the world’s major currency symbols. The Bitcoin symbol is located on the far left.”

Actually, Google’s decision to incorporate the cryptocurrency symbol in its keyboard might be Google’s second step towards considering Bitcoin a mainstream currency.

In September 2018, the tech giant lifted the ban it had imposed four months earlier on cryptocurrency advertising. In the announcement, Scott Spencer, Google’s Director of Product Management, Sustainable Ads, stated:

We don’t have a crystal ball to know where the future is going to go with cryptocurrencies, but we’ve seen enough consumer harm or potential for consumer harm that it’s an area that we want to approach with extreme caution.

According to Copeland, these moves by Google might not help to dramatically increase Bitcoin’s rate of adoption,

But, it is a major endorsement by the web giant that has so far stayed away from cryptocurrencies, although a recent ban on advertising crypto projects was recently lifted suggesting Google might be warming to crypto: A small step, but a positive one.

Tech Giants Are Stepping Up Their Support for Bitcoin

The symbol representing the Bitcoin currency unit is already part of the Unicode standard, version 10, and it has been since June 2017. The Unicode character assigned to Bitcoin is 20BF.

Thus, for example, Microsoft products allow users to insert the cryptocurrency symbol, ₿, by typing 20BF plus ALT. In addition, Microsoft accepts payments in Bitcoin for media content on its Windows and Xbox stores.

Although Apple has not yet officially enabled the Bitcoin symbol, last September, its mobile operating system iOS12 added two Bitcoin glyphs as part of the Siri Shortcuts app.

Now, Bitcoin enthusiasts are waiting for Google to further legitimize the cryptocurrency by also making the Bitcoin symbol available to Android operating devices.

How do you think Google’s enabling of the Bitcoin symbol in its keyboard for iOS devices will impact the cryptocurrency’s rate of adoption? Let us know in the comments below!

Images courtesy of Twitter/ @Timccopeland, AppleInsider, Shutterstock

Bitcoin And Ethereum Daily Price Forecast – Trade Volume Hits Multi-Month High’s Hinting at Continued Positive Price Action

Cryptocurrency market today continued to see positive price action in Bitcoin and other major legacy crypto coins. The positive price rally over the last 24 hours led to overall crypto market capital value increase worth more than a hundred billion dollars with Bitcoin alone seeing an increase in value worth over $8 billion USD. According to headlines in the market, trading volume in Bitcoin hit 9-month high yesterday. Given the recent positive price rally in the crypto market and increased risk appetite of investors, major crypto coins are seeing increased fund flow from retail investors. Legacy crypto coins yesterday breached psychological price levels, but profit booking activity owing to the rally resulted in price action declining below said levels. Post the decline, legacy crypto coins are currently trading in consolidative price action.

Meanwhile, Bitcoin continued to see positive price action even today and rose above $4000 handle which led to intense profit booking activity. A clear lack of fundamental support to support rally above $4000 mark led to the pair consolidating above $3900 handle today. While positive investor sentiment inspired by positive price rally can be viewed as the main reason/fundamental support for ongoing price action, the key trigger that helped Bitcoin scale $4000 mark was news that BBVA, one of Spain’s largest banks issues a bond based on blockchain technology worth nearly $40 million. While there are no events supporting ongoing positive price run in crypto markets, back to back headlines from different nations which show increased support and adoption of crypto coins in real-world usage is beginning to reflect on investor sentiment and creating solid support for crypto assets in truest sense owing to their decentralized nature.

As of writing this article, BTCUSD pair is trading at $3955.5 up by 1.37% on the day, while ETHUSD pair is trading at $146.42 up by 0.19% having hit an intra-day high of $150.63 earlier in the day. Owing to the positive reception of progress related to upcoming Constantinople network upgrade and high level of usage in the real world, the second largest cryptocurrency in terms of market capital – Ethereum has been the #1 cryptocurrency in terms of increase in value during the ongoing positive price rally among all major legacy crypto coins. Moving forward for the day, Bitcoin and other major legacy crypto coins are expected to continue trading with positive bias influenced and supported by positive investor sentiment in the crypto market as visible from trade volume data which hints that bullish price action is likely to continue in immediate and near future trading sessions.

Please let us know what you think in the comments below.