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Other How do you type on your phone? Two thumb? QuickPath with one hand? QuickPath with two hands?

How do you type on your phone?

  • Two thumb

    Votes: 32 72.7%

  • QuickPath with one hand

    Votes: 8 18.2%

  • QuickPath with two hands

    Votes: 1 2.3%

  • Other

    Votes: 10 22.7%
  • Total voters
    44
S

subjonas

macrumors 603
Original poster
Feb 10, 2014
6,331
6,853
Just curious if and how people are using QuickPath these days. It used to be my go to method of text entry back when phones were small (so I could do it securely one-handed) and prediction was good. (QuickPath and iOS text entry in general has gone to crap, especially in MR forums, but I suppose that’s another conversation.) I found I could do it just as fast as two-thumb typing, but with the advantage of a whole free hand. I still use it one-handed sometimes on my SE3, but now I mix it up a lot more with two-handed QuickPath and two-thumb typing. I might be going to the other extreme with a Pro Max next phone but will probably be using a grip. A grip may enable me to do one-handed QuickPath more once again.
Are there other QuickPath lovers out there? 😆 Man I hope it’s not an ever shrinking niche that Apple decides to axe one day.
 
I've never heard it called Quickpath; always swiping. I use my thumbs, but have just recently started using swipe after seeing how fast my wife can text on her Pixel with it. It works, but I'm slow.

I usually use my phone one handed, so we'll see..
 
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WarmWinterHat said:
I've never heard it called Quickpath; always swiping.
Click to expand...
Apple calls swiping 'QuickPath'.

I use QuickPath most of the time. I wish they would bring it to the iPad. (Actually, it is there, but only if you use the smaller / floating keyboard. I want to use it on the full-sized one.)

subjonas said:
I might be going to the other extreme with a Pro Max next phone but will probably be using a grip. A grip may enable me to do one-handed QuickPath more once again.
Click to expand...
Remember, you can also move the keyboard to the right (or left) side of the screen for easier reachability.
 
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WarmWinterHat said:
I've never heard it called Quickpath; always swiping. I use my thumbs, but have just recently started using swipe after seeing how fast my wife can text on her Pixel with it. It works, but I'm slow.

I usually use my phone one handed, so we'll see..
Click to expand...
There's a learning curve but once you get the hang of it, it's really nice to be able to type fast with one hand. I can even do it without looking a bit. But only good for common words, not unique names etc. And again, somehow the software has gotten worse over the years.
 
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iStorm said:
Apple calls swiping 'QuickPath'.

I use QuickPath most of the time. I wish they would bring it to the iPad. (Actually, it is there, but only if you use the smaller / floating keyboard. I want to use it on the full-sized one.)


Remember, you can also move the keyboard to the right (or left) side of the screen for easier reachability.
Click to expand...
Same, I want it on the main iPad keyboard! Really don't like using the floating keyboard. Even though it's faster/less energy to use QuickPath on a small keyboard, and even though a small keyboard allows more viewable screen area, it's too annoying to have to move the keyboard around because it's blocking something. The main keyboard shifts everything up above the keyboard so you only have to scroll and the keyboard never has to move. I would even be ok if they gave an option for a shrunken main keyboard, but regular size is fine.

Thanks for the reminder! I forgot about that keyboard shift option. I'll have to try that out.
 
Hold phone securely with left hand. Poke buttons with right index finger, one at a time. Not explaining to my wife how I need to replace (another) phone because I dropped it when I tried to one-hand it.

Yeah, no. Not dexterous enough and it when it comes to using my thumbs to text - I'm all thumbs. I've tried it and nearly sent my phone flying.
 
eyoungren said:
Hold phone securely with left hand. Poke buttons with right index finger, one at a time. Not explaining to my wife how I need to replace (another) phone because I dropped it when I tried to one-hand it.

Yeah, no. Not dexterous enough and it when it comes to using my thumbs to text - I'm all thumbs. I've tried it and nearly sent my phone flying.
Click to expand...
Hahah gotcha. I didn't know there were so many one-finger pokers. I should have put that option in the poll.
 
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Maybe its my years with Android but I call it Trace typing (I think that is what others call Swiping). Also, Andoid phones are much better than Iphones for this feature.
 
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ab2c4 said:
Maybe its my years with Android but I call it Trace typing (I think that is what others call Swiping). Also, Andoid phones are much better than Iphones for this feature.
Click to expand...
I believe the original gesture keyboard was Swype, so people originally called it Swyping, which turned into just swiping. But I think now most commonly the generic term is "gesture typing". And then of course there are specific names for the feature in specific keyboards, like QuickPath for the iOS keyboard.

QuickPath was near perfect the first couple years, then (as I mentioned) it inexplicably went down the toilet since then. But so has iOS typing in general--terrible prediction/autocorrect, and editing has become a nightmare especially in forums like MR. No idea what's going on, but I hope things turn around. I'm glad Android is doing better.
 
I use one of those hipster Clicks keyboard cases. So, I fall into the other category.
 
Technically two thumbs here, but I've chosen "Other" since I use Type Nine rather than the Apple keyboard.
 
Sadly, I have to use a stylus. I have "zombie finger" and only about half of my finger touches even register (there are two ATMs close by that won't read my finger presses at all). The good thing is that I rarely use my phone.
 
I hold the smartphone using left hand and type using right hand, either thumb or index finger... I never used swiping, suggestion bar [word strip], or autocomplete...

I try to type using two thumbs at times but I guess it's not for me... I'm faster typing with two hands using the desktop/laptop keyboard than the software keyboard... I also have to remember which thumb, left or right, to use with specific letters...
 
I always use swiping since it’s more convenient when the phone is put on a desk.
 
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