BackBest keyboard apps with advanced swipe controls
Users who feel more at home with keyboards with rich gesture controls can try one of these apps
PremiumNuance has decided to cut off support for Swype keyboard app so it could reportedly focus on AI solutions for enterprise, according to an official statement given by the company to XDA developers. The app is no longer listed on the Play Store and App Store. However, users who have the app on their smartphones can still use it, but will not get any updates or bug fixes in future.
Founded in 2008, Swype was one of the first keyboards to offer swipe-based input. It was acquired by US-based Nuance Communications in 2011 for $ 100 million. In case you have been using it and want to switch to another, here are some options.
Gboard
Free
Android, iOS
Google’s Gboard not only allows users to type instantly with swipe-based gestures, but also allows to delete a word by swiping backwards on the back button on the keyboard. To make the swipe-based input more accurate, Google is using neural spatial network which uses AI to map the touch point on the screen to the closest keys and based on the users’ typing history. The app also supports swipe gestures as a search tool, allowing users to look for specific emojis by drawing a rough outline.
SwiftKey
Free
Android, iOS
Microsoft-owned SwiftKey is another keyboard app which supports swipe gestures beyond everyday typing. Users can activate it from Settings->Typing & Autocorrect->Gesture Input->Flow. Once enabled, it allows users to type by gliding fingers over the letters. It also allows users to delete words by swiping right to left and minimise the keyboard by swiping down.
Fleksy Keyboard
Free
Android, iOS
Known for its funky looking themes and emojis, Fleksy comes with a range of hidden gesture controls. Active by default, these controls act as shortcuts to speed up typing. Users can add space between words by swiping right, cycle through word predictions by swiping down, delete words by swiping right to left and undo correction by swiping up. Users can change keyboard language by tapping and swiping hard on the space key button.
Xploree
Android
Developed by KeyPoint technologies, Xploree keyboard allows Android users to type using swipe gestures. But what really makes it stand out is the support for 27 Indic languages, including Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Marathi, Bengali, Sanskrit, and Urdu. The app allows users to type in any Indian language using the English keyboard, and then transliterating the text by swiping left to right on the space key.
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