This morning, both Swiftkey and Microsoft confirmed yesterday’s last-minute, late-breaking, blockbuster news concerning the two joining forces. And yep, it’s official – Swiftkey has been acquired by Microsoft.
In short blog posts to Swiftkey and Microsoft blogs, the two talk about the predictive technology behind the popular keyboard, how many keystrokes it has saved, that many companies rely on it, and that this is a match made in heaven. More importantly, Swiftkey confirms that its Android and iOS keyboard apps will live on and be free. They didn’t mention this as some sort of temporary thing, either. This doesn’t sound like Microsoft’s Sunrise acquisition, where the goal all along was to kill the best calendar app on the planet and fold it into an email app most of us would prefer not to use. Nope, this sounds like Swiftkey as a stand-alone keyboard app is here to stay.
Feeling better now?
So… When can we expect the Microsoft/SwiftKey replacement story?
Hope I’ll be able to keep rocking the beta.
Is that the HTC One X?
I’ve tried using the SwiftKey keyboard but I like having my punctuation marks at the top of the keyboard. The only keyboard that I know that allows this is the Google Keyboard. Does anyone know of any alternatives that does this?
If I remember correctly, “Thumb Keyboard” allows you to customize the keys to have the secondary long-press symbols set wherever you want. Also allows for lots of pre set phrases for quick responses. Got it for free from Amazon a few years ago, but have’t used it in a long time. I stick with SwiftKey, even though the customization is far superior with Thumb (even the keyboard sounds can be changed!).
I use SwiftKey on Android and love it. It’s the only keyboard I’ve used that will allow you to use SPANISH (QWERTY) for English and Spanish. Having the ability to use SwiftKey on a MS Surface would be awesome!
Swype lets you do that too (I use a Swedish QWERTY to swype in both Swedish and English). One problem with Swype is that text messages using a dual-language keyboard get garbled up when sent to a iOS device.
I go back and forth between swype and swiftkey. i feel like touchpal would be a contender or winner if it didn’t have ads and crap ruining it.
The only thing going for Swiftkey is the fourth-row number line, which is a huge plus for me and why I use it. It appears that Swype refuses to even make it an option. Swype’s accuracy and prediction is so much better than Swiftkey.
I’m excited about this, because I’ve been complaining that there’s no 3rd party keyboard support on my Surface/Windows 10. So with this addition, that’s incredible.
Cool. Swiftkey is my default app install. BUT Google keyboard works fine… EXCEPT long press back button to delete entire words… If Google KB had that I’d be happy.
Naw. Screw Microsoft. I simply don’t want your name on phone.
@Kellex Samsung is sending out Marshmallow beta invites for the latest Samsung lineup. I’m downloading it now.
Would love all the pics in the world. kellex at droid-life.com
Here’s a couple for right now, on my lunch break at 1pm West Coast time if you guys haven’t uploaded a video I will get you a screen recording of all the new features.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/1ec176142351607dc2159294fa23961c39fe5a3383b5d94af6c1ad2565f39a9a.png https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/5e324b81ba09cc4547e19976e876782a9b10ffc070d47e3295a805e89bdcb48b.png https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/88053198b1a8247fdc7cadc8593e7069fe0d3784892f3d9e0e78c558c1a3b116.png
Geez, that looks terrible. Good job, Samsung.
I like the new colors but I went back to the Vanilla theme
Reminds me more of iOS than Android.
Jerk. Where’s my invite 🙁
Hey man I signed up for this on the shady Research,net, got the shady looking email from Edwin Teran did the update all while praying to god it wasn’t a scam.
So shady it may be worth the risk.
It was the Marshmallow update so yea it was worth the risk, otherwise who knows when I would have seen it. Lol!
Originally I as well as many others were pretty bummed about this, then this guy on reddit said “Imagine using SwiftKey on a Windows machine, all the years of text prediction history and words you’ve added to your dictionary every where you go from work to mobile”
Now I’m excited about this acquisition!
I’m not seeing what you’re seeing…swiftkey on a pc? why
I’m guessing for things like the surface and 2 in 1 laptops where you would need an onscreen keyboard
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Isn’t that what a keyboard attachment is for
Yes but for those people that feel like using it in tablet mode.
No wonder the iPad Pro outsold the Surface. Nobody knows what they want.
clearly. I personally couldn’t care less for 2 in 1’s and would prefer a laptop and separate tablet
Yes, but Microsoft does not bundle the keyboard with the tablet, as I’m sure you’re aware. That leaves those that already spent $500+ on a tablet and not wanting to spend another $130 on a keyboard using the on-screen keyboard. Anything would make the Microsoft keyboard better.
Well I think desktop pc’s will eventually be killed off (I know this has been said for at least a decade now) in favor of machines like the Surface pro.
Yeah, this is never going to happen. You know how big PC gaming is? That’s virtually undoable on a Surface.
There are two reasons desktops will not be killed off for good: 1) Businesses use desktops and nothing else is as cost-effective 2) PC gaming. Not all PC gamers know how to build their own PC or want to bother with it.
My company uses laptops and tablets with secondary displays if needed. But I agree with you that most companies still use desktop pcs. You are also right about the gamer community but you gotta admit the Surface Pro broke new ground and eventually more and more companies will produce hybrid type tablet/pc’s
I think all the major manufacturers make a hybrid or 2 in 1 computer. They will continue to get better but I think desktops are still going to have their place in workplaces with a large number of employees. I think they will still be used until it becomes cheaper to use a laptop or 2 in 1 with an external display, keyboard, and mouse.
For Surface line and other hybrids… i for one would love to have swiftkey on my Surface Pro 4 b/c the stock MS onscreen keyboard is dreadful
It doesn’t take that long for it to relearn what you say…
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I have to type on a Toughpad all day for work and the windows 10 keyboard is infuriating to use. Hopefully SwiftKey becomes available ASAP.
No thanks. Moved on to Chrooma and I’ll probably look for another solution if Chrooma doesn’t pan out. Swiftkey did it’s job for years but there’s no reason it should be as randomly laggy on a Nexus 6P as it is. Microsoft ownership won’t make it any better.
Chrooma has been awesome. It’s the first keyboard that has been able to pull me away from the Google keyboard.
I’m using Chrooma also but only for the color changing keyboard, as soon as SwiftKey adds that option I’m out.
Fleksy has that, though I stopped using it because of the lack of arrow keys and swiping.
I’ve always hated Flesky, call it user error if you want but that keyboard just all around sucks.
It is pretty awesome. I’m still using it as well.
Chrooma or Google Keyboard? Who wins?
It looks great but without long press for punctuation it isn’t for me. Their listing on the app store says it’s coming but I think that’s a day 1 feature not “we’ll do it someday”.
If you long press the period key, you get a dialog box with all the most used punctuations.
Swiftkey does get a little laggy. I haven’t used the Google keyboard in ages because it didn’t have a number row. Does Chrooma or and updated google keyboard have that?