SwiftKey Keyboard for iOS

SwiftKey Keyboard is a new third-party keyboard app for iOS. The app claims to learn how its users type to create a more fluid and intuitive experience within any iOS app. It also allows you to type easily with a single hand by just dragging a single finger across the keyboard, without needing to tap the characters.

Pros

Swipe-to-type: You can just drag your finger to the desired letter. As you drag your fingertip across the keyboard, the predictive text feature guesses the word you're trying to spell.

Learning your typing patterns: SwiftKey was already predicting typing patterns and word choice very quickly. Overall, the smart typing function seems to work very well. Potential words appear across the top of the keyboard, and you can select the right one with a single tap.

Good looks: The default SwiftKey keyboard is good looking. SwiftKey looks just different enough from the standard iOS keyboard to give it its own character, but it is close enough to the old one to still feel comfortable and familiar.

Cons

Installation and operation: The app needs you to manually install it by adding it through the settings on your phone. While this isn't too onerous, it could be potentially confusing for someone who isn't comfortable playing with the settings menus. Once installed, the keyboard seems to intermittently not appear when you try to use it, and you get the iPhone default keyboard instead.

Bottom Line

This is a great third-party keyboard for iOS. The swipe to type feature works very well. However, the app appears to still be slightly buggy and unreliable at this stage.