Ever wanted to use your Android as a keyboard or mouse for your computer? That might soon become a reality according to a new discovery. The revelation follows a series of Android P leaks, as well as a rumor from a trusted source who said the first developer preview should be released in mid-March.
It may not be as exciting as Samsung’s new DeX Pad that turns Galaxy S9 phones into a full desktop PC when docked, but using an Android device as a keyboard or mouse might be a neat trick that some PC users might appreciate.
According to xda-developers, Android P will support the Bluetooth HID profile, short for Human Interface Device. That’s what you need to turn a device into a keyboard or mouse. There’s been talk about Bluetooth HID support for a few years now, but Google never supported the profile. New evidence suggests that’s about to change soon, and it’s likely that Android P will come with Bluetooth HID support out of the gate.
That means developers will be able to incorporate the feature into their apps, and the fact that it’s a native Android feature means your device could work as a PC input device on any Android phone that is updated to Android P.
Google may soon confirm the new Bluetooth profile addition, and unveil some of the main features of Android P. The company is expected to release Android P Developer Preview 1 on Pi Day next week. Then, at Google I/O 2018, Google should further elaborate on the major features of Android P.
