This tutorial shows you how to type with the Swype and QuickType keyboards on iOS 8. As you may know, QuickType is the brand new keyboard Apple has introduced with the iOS 8 which was released last week with the iPhone 6. QuickType and Swype are both different in their unique ways of making typing easier for the iPhone user, and at the end of this article, you will be able to decide which one you think is better or more convenient for you to use as your default iPhone keyboard.
If you already have the iPhone 6, good for you because you can now choose between these new keyboards or the default keyboard since they are already installed on iOS 8 by default.
How To Use QuickType in iOS 8 For iPhone 6
The QuickType keyboard is already installed by default on the iOS, so you only need to activate it as your active keyboard. If your iPhone is running an older software (iOS 7, iOS 6 e.t.c), you can upgrade to iOS 8 to enjoy the cool features of QuickType.
The QuickType keyboard uses something that can be best described as contextual prediction; this is different from the auto-correct functionality we saw in T9. It suggests three words you are most likely to type next even before you start typing them, how cool is that? So all you just need to do is click on the correct word and it appears within your text instantly.
The beauty of the QuickType keyboard is that it is dynamic and smart; it does not cough out random words, but predicts them based on the app you are using, who you are sending the message to, your message history, and the nature of the message you are replying to. For example, if you were sending a text message, the words predicted would be more casual than if you were sending an email. The predictions presented also change dynamically as you type; for example if you were typing a word already, the three predictions would change to show words that begin with the letters you have typed already and you can tap the correct word to use it instantly.
Efficiency of the QuickType keyboard increases overtime as you use it as it learns new words you use and also adapts to the way you type.
You can also decide to turn of the prediction feature of QuickType by pressing the same button used to switch typing languages or just pull the edge down.
QuickType also supports other languages in case you plan to type in a language other than English; there’s prediction support for Spanish, German, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese, French, Thai, Simplified & Traditional Chinese, and Japanese.
To set QuickType as your default iPhone keyboard, go to Settings > General > Keyboard and then choose QuickType.
How To Use Swype in iOS 8
If you have ever used an Android phone or seen anyone make those weird curly lines with their finger while typing on an Android phone, then you have seen Swype.
The Swype keyboard allows you type by swiping your finger around the keyboard instead of traditionally tapping the buttons one by one, which Swype also supports.
Typing with Swype is basically driving your finger along the keyboard over the buttons you need; think of it as sort of a “lazy finger” keyboard. One of its biggest applications is if for instance you were carrying a baby with one hand or perhaps doing something in the kitchen and had only one free hand for your mobile phone, Swype would be very useful since it would be seriously uncomfortable trying to type with one hand on a 5inch screen mobile phone.
If the swiping somehow irritates you and you just want to type like a normal human being, hey, you can go ahead and do just that; Swype is just a regular keyboard with an amazing extra functionality.
To set which keyboard you would like to use as your default keyboard when you start typing text, navigate to Settings > General > Keyboard and you can choose between QuickType, Swype or the traditional iOS keypad.