While Google Keep is extremely popular, as it comes pre-installed on most Android phones, Samsung Notes is much more feature-rich. Over the past couple of years, Google is trying to bring more features to Google Keep so that most Android users have a free note-taking app that can satisfy most of their needs. Now, Google Keep seems to be borrowing an important feature from Samsung Notes: Handwritten Notes.
Google Keeps will get Handwritten Notes feature
The latest version of Google Keep for Android hides a few signs that offer a look at Google's next step with its note-taking app. AndroidAuthority dug through the app's code and found that Google is trying to add more features to the stylus. It has references to “use handwriting, images, and text to sketch, doodle, brainstorm, and capture all your ideas.”
It will reportedly have a feature that lets you click the stylus to create a new note from anywhere on an Android device through a floating note. You could also collect information with the screenshot tool (at least on Pixel devices).
Moreover, as we reported earlier, with Android 15, Google Keep will be able to become your phone's default note-taking app, and you can start making notes even from the lock screen. By default, every time you create a note from the lock screen, it will save a new note. This is similar to what you can do right now with Samsung Notes on Galaxy phones and tablets.
This Handwritten Notes feature is completely different from notes where you can draw. It looks like when you add a drawing to a text note, you will still get the old UI for drawing. The new UI will have a tool bar at the bottom where you can select from several types of pens (with colors and line width options), highlighter, backgrounds (lines and squares), and background colors.
You can also add images or capture a photo from the camera and add it to the note. You can also add a text box in a handwritten note. You will also be able to export handwritten notes to PDF files. The upcoming ‘Text to Sketch' feature could be similar to Samsung's Sketch to Image feature, which uses Generative AI to convert rough drawings into better-looking images.
Watch Samsung Notes and its top five new features in our video below.
You will be able to see handwritten notes on the web version of Google Keep, but you can't add anything new to it or create handwritten notes from the web. While these feature additions seem impressive, they are nothing compared to Samsung Notes' features.
