Textexpander for android4/6/2023 (More about that later, but SwiftKey Cloud is an opt-in service, so you can decide whether or not you’d like to use it.) While I really like the convenience this provides, it also brings up some concerns regarding privacy and security. Similarly, when it comes time to get a new device, or if you need to replace a lost or broken one, you can easily restore your typing profile to the replacement. This has several interesting implications: If you use multiple devices-say, an iPhone and an iPad-SwiftKey can use this cloud storage to sync your typing profile among your other devices, so that you have a consistent experience on all of them. By itself, this isn’t a unique feature, but SwiftKey takes it a few steps further: If you connect to the app via Google or Facebook, it can read your past correspondences to learn more about you and your language, and then store all that data through an option called SwiftKey Cloud. SwiftKey watches what you type and attempts to learn your habits so that it can make corrections and predictions. It supports the “swipe-to-type” system-called SwiftKey Flow-and, also like Swype, you can either swipe or tap on the keys as you prefer. SwiftKey (free) is another popular alternative keyboard from the Android world, and already has quite a bit of buzz within the iOS community, thanks to its Note app that launched earlier in 2014. SwiftKey remembers how you use language and can sync your library across devices-if you let it. In the short time I’ve used it, my typing speed and accuracy are much better than I had expected. I didn’t think I would care for a swipe-style keyboard, but I’ve become a fan of Swype on my iPhone 6, although not as much on the iPad’s larger keyboard. If you find yourself using a set of commonly used words or phrases, you can assign each a custom gesture so that you can type them quickly with a simple, smaller gesture. By observing your keyboard usage, Swype can predict words you’re likely to use next. (You can still tap out individual letters whenever you prefer.) In case your swipes are a little off kilter, the app provides built-in auto-correction of both words and phrases. This app is aptly named because, rather than tapping on the keys, you swipe across the keyboard, forming gestures that Swype uses to recognize complete words. Swype specializes in slide-to-type gestures.ĭue to its popularity in the Android world, Nuance’s Swype ($1) is probably the most recognized name in alternative keyboards. But if these incremental improvements aren’t enough to keep you in the Apple fold, there are several alternative keyboards you can explore. When used in landscape mode on the iPhone or iPod touch, for example, the keyboard now offers some new useful editing keys, like left/right arrows for moving the cursor (finally!), an undo key, and a key for quick access to Emoji characters. The changes aren’t all under the hood, either. ![]() The more you use it, the more it learns your typing habits in those various contexts and fine tunes the suggestions. The biggest of these enhancements is called QuickType, which watches both what you type and in what context (taking a look at how you type in the Mail and Messages apps, for example) and offers word predictions, which it displays along the top row. ![]() While the built-in keyboard doesn’t look radically different from previous versions, Apple has introduced several useful improvements. IOS 8’s stock keyboard, now with QuickTypeĪpple’s own offering now has QuickType, placing it in the ring with other third-party smart keyboards.īefore you go running off to replace Apple’s built-in keyboard, it’s worth taking a look at the changes iOS 8 has introduced. ![]() Not sure where to start in picking a keyboard? Here’s a quick preview of some of the most popular keyboards that have been downloaded and installed on iOS 8 since its recent release, most of which are optimized for both the iPhone and iPad.
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