Michal Ždanský With the news for developers in iOS 8, Apple has pretty much stepped on Android. At yesterday's keynote, he presented the possibility of extending applications to other parts of the system and integrating into it. Until now, this was the domain of Android. This extensibility also includes third-party keyboards that users will be able to install in addition to the standard system keyboard.
However, the system keyboard did not remain idle, Apple added a rather useful function of predictive typing, where in a special line above the keyboard, the system will predict words in the context of the given sentence, but also in the context of the person you are communicating with. While whispered words with a co-worker will be more formal, with a friend they will be more conversational. The keyboard should adapt to your typing style and, in theory, keep getting better. Despite these improvements, however, it is not the best keyboard imaginable for a phone or tablet, and prediction is not yet available for Czech or Slovak.
And this is where the space opens up for third-party developers who can greatly expand the capabilities of the existing keyboard or introduce a completely new keyboard. The most important players among keyboards for Android are developers SwiftKey, Swype a Fleksy. All three have already confirmed the development of keyboard apps for iOS 8.
“I think it's obviously an amazing day for anyone who wants to be productive and use an iOS device. We believe we've created a great product that will make typing on touchscreens easier, and we have a great community of Android users to prove it. We can't wait to expand our product to iOS. Ultimately, this means people will have more choice, which we're looking forward to.”
Joe Braidwood, Head of Marketing, SwiftKey
SwiftKey released its own note-taking app fairly recently SwiftKeyNote, which allowed writing through this very keyboard and offered integration with Evernote. However, the keyboard was limited to that application only. In addition to the possibility of typing with finger strokes, SwiftKey offers predictive typing, where it offers suggested words in the bar above the keyboard. After all, Apple was probably inspired here. The company is also apparently porting the SwiftKey Cloud service, which will allow user data to be backed up and synced with other devices.
Swype, on the other hand, excels with finger stroke typing in conjunction with a comprehensive dictionary for a number of languages, including Czech. Based on the move, it finds the most likely word and inserts it into the text, users can then choose an alternative word in the bar above the keyboard. Fleksy then focuses on auto-correcting words during fast classic typing and uses gestures to confirm or correct words.
The possibilities are far from over with the keyboards mentioned above, and developers can fully indulge their imaginations to bring better typing options to iOS. For example, a keyboard with a fifth row of keys is offered for more efficient typing for Czechs and other nationalities that use special characters. Unfortunately, developers can't implement a way to move the cursor better because of a limitation that Apple explicitly points out in Programming Guide.
According to manual for keyboard programming from Apple, it will be possible to manage keyboards from the settings, similar to how you add other keyboards for others currently. It will then be possible to switch keyboards with the key with the globe icon, just as you switch to the keyboard with Emoji.
So hopefully I'll finally get a numeric keyboard with a T9. I still found it much easier to type on Android than on qwerty on the iPhone. This is the only thing (but quite important) that bothered me when switching to iOS. Also because typing on that QWERTY keyboard with one hand in the tram is hell.
Perhaps you will also see QWERTZ with T9. SwiftKey has it very well solved. Just hit roughly where the desired letters are, and it will offer a meaningful word that fits the context, even if most of the letters are completely stupid.
There may just be a problem of alternating writing with and without diacritics. I basically write with diacritics, and the application takes care of cropping (when necessary). I don't know how it is on iOS…
I would immediately add a fifth row of keys. I always typed slower with any prediction than with the brackets and dashes on the next line. I miss that a lot on the iPad.
So hopefully we'll see a case-sensitive keyboard. Swype sucks and Apple's system could be better than T9. FastKey or whatever they called it :)
Finally... Apple is catching up with Android where it was necessary..
Wish there was a T9, alphanumeric keyboard. Do you think T9 will? I'm thinking of buying an S5 just for it, but I don't really want to buy it.