iPhone XR iPhone Typing Problem

[Pezimak]

Hi, new member here.

I am after some advice, I’ve had several iPhones over the years. Currently I have an XR. But I find I have issues when typing on it‘s keyboard. I use the standard iOS keyboard as I have found the third party ones to not be as good. But I find myself struggle to type on it, I sometimes press the full stop instead of the space bar, and regularly seem to type some gibberish instead of the word.
I’ve tried the phone in both zoomed screen mode and standard mode but it’s the same, I tend to use my keyboard in portrait mode a lot. Also I find the auto text suggestion box be present in some apps and not others, and if I’m typing along the top line and the box isn’t present I find myself taping the screen space above the keyboard and it disappears.

Now I didn’t find myself having these issues with my previous phone as much, a 4.7” 6S, apart from a cramped keyboard I found typing to be better on it, I put this to the phones design, 3D Touch screen and the chins, it seemed to work better, perhaps as the keyboard is high up the device?
I‘m not about to change to an iPhone SE though, but was thinking, would a 12 Mini or a 12 Max perhaps provide a better experience for me? I guess more so the 12 Max? What are people’s thoughts on the typing experience with the all screen iPhones? With the keyboards being lower down as a result? Are their any settings I could try to improve this?
Hopefully once I am able to and lockdown has surpassed I will be able to try the phones out, but what are people’s thoughts on this? I have had the XR since launch so it will be due a replacement this year or next, I was toying with the idea of getting a 12 Max cheaper once the 13 was launched.

 

[Pezimak]

Let me rephrase it, has anyone had a mixture of two, or all three iPhone sizes, Mini, 6.1” and Max, and if so how did you find the typing experience across the different models?

 

[Phil77354]

I don't really think that the typing experience is so different from one device to another. Of course the screen sizes vary and with the largest screen you're going to have somewhat more room for the keyboard, but all of the keyboards are very small compared to 'normal' typing and using a computer keyboard or laptop computer. It is just one of the things we have to adjust to in using these small devices.

I think that you simply need to be deliberate and careful when typing on a phone, let the suggestions and auto-correct help out when they are active (even though they sometimes seem the opposite of helpful), and be patient in general.

If you do try a larger display, such as a 12 Max, and feel it is a more comfortable size for you in typing, then all the better.

Another possible help, if you also have an iMac or MacBook, then obviously you can do everything from those devices whenever they are handy. I text frequently from my iMac, it is hugely convenient to be able to write a longer text message quicker by using the Messages app on the computer.

Which also brings to mind, the same thing applies for any of the iPad models, those are also part of the ecosystem and obviously much larger displays and keyboards. Even an iPad mini would be significantly larger than any of the phone models, might be something you would find useful?

 

[now i see it]

I type out sentences on iPhone using my left index finger only while in portrait mode. I never type in landscape mode.
Surprisingly, I could type out sentences and paragraphs the fastest (staccato fast) using a tiny iPhone 4S on iOs 8. The distance between each letter of the keyboard on the 4S is the shortest of all the iPhones so my finger didn't need to travel as far between letters.
iOS 9 killed the iPhone 4S though. I can easily outype it now- have to wait for the letters to render.

The next slightly slower typing experience was on my iPhone 5 iOS 9, and by far the slowest typing speed I have is on my Plus sized iPhone. While the letters are bigger on the plus keyboard, the distance my finger has to travel between each letter is a lot farther than the little phones, so I find I miss hitting the correct letter more often and everything is slower because my finger and wrist have to move farther.

Weird how that is. iPhone 4S on iOS 8 for the win.

 

[Pezimak]

I don't really think that the typing experience is so different from one device to another. Of course the screen sizes vary and with the largest screen you're going to have somewhat more room for the keyboard, but all of the keyboards are very small compared to 'normal' typing and using a computer keyboard or laptop computer. It is just one of the things we have to adjust to in using these small devices.

I think that you simply need to be deliberate and careful when typing on a phone, let the suggestions and auto-correct help out when they are active (even though they sometimes seem the opposite of helpful), and be patient in general.

If you do try a larger display, such as a 12 Max, and feel it is a more comfortable size for you in typing, then all the better.

Another possible help, if you also have an iMac or MacBook, then obviously you can do everything from those devices whenever they are handy. I text frequently from my iMac, it is hugely convenient to be able to write a longer text message quicker by using the Messages app on the computer.

Which also brings to mind, the same thing applies for any of the iPad models, those are also part of the ecosystem and obviously much larger displays and keyboards. Even an iPad mini would be significantly larger than any of the phone models, might be something you would find useful?

I have an old iPad Pro but my iPhone is faster. I understand what your saying though. But I tend to gravitate towards my phone or tablet these days.
Thank you for the reply.

 

[Pezimak]

I type out sentences on iPhone using my left index finger only while in portrait mode. I never type in landscape mode.
Surprisingly, I could type out sentences and paragraphs the fastest (staccato fast) using a tiny iPhone 4S on iOs 8. The distance between each letter of the keyboard on the 4S is the shortest of all the iPhones so my finger didn't need to travel as far between letters.
iOS 9 killed the iPhone 4S though. I can easily outype it now- have to wait for the letters to render.

The next slightly slower typing experience was on my iPhone 5 iOS 9, and by far the slowest typing speed I have is on my Plus sized iPhone. While the letters are bigger on the plus keyboard, the distance my finger has to travel between each letter is a lot farther than the little phones, so I find I miss hitting the correct letter more often and everything is slower because my finger and wrist have to move farther.

Weird how that is. iPhone 4S on iOS 8 for the win.

This is the reason I would like to try out the Mini. Because of the possibility a smaller keyboard actually provides a better typing experience. It is very strange as you say. I had a iPhone 4 and could type fairly quickly if I remember on it.

 

[cola79]

I have the same problems on my xr. I think it’s the screen size. Most of the time i get better results when I resize the keyboard for one handed use.

And in safari it’s mostly because the keyboard lags. Gets better when word predictions etc is disabled.

 

[Pezimak]

I have the same problems on my xr. I think it’s the screen size. Most of the time i get better results when I resize the keyboard for one handed use.

And in safari it’s mostly because the keyboard lags. Gets better when word predictions etc is disabled.

I should try that. I find myself hitting the full stop instead of the space bar in some apps where it puts the full stop next to the space bar.

 

[Pezimak]

Thank you for the replies, I managed to go and have a good play with all the iPhone 12 model sizes today. I loved the Mini, such an impressive device and the screen is a great size. Apple did a fantastic job with it! I picked up the 12 and just thought it's the same as my XR so didn't really interest me, and then I tried the Max, and well, with my late 40's eyes it was the best for my vision. I set all the phones to Zoomed screen and bold text which is how I have my phones. And the Max was by far the easiest to use, I tried typing on both the Mini and the Max quite a bit, and I could type on the Mini but I have to admit it was a little easier on the Max with its bigger keyboard and I could see the keyboard more easily.
They had the Max in Pacific Blue on the stand and I thought it looked stunning!
I have an old iPad Pro that is not the best these days. I was going to replace it, but if I got a Max it could replace both my phone and iPad, I really need a new computer as I've found iOS a bit too restrictive for me
with some actions on the iPad.

But the iPhone 12 design to me overall is great, I much prefer the square sides. Reminds me of the iPhone 4 I had. And to me this year it's definitely between the Mini and Max for choice.

Also coming from the XR I didn't think the Max was that big! But as I said I was also surprised by the Minis overall screen size as it's a lot more usable then I thought.
Some nice bonuses with the Max are the 128GB base storage that's more then enough for me, and the cameras.

EDIT: I can't get that iPhone 12 Mini out of my head! I'll have to go and have another play with them. See if I can get to an Apple store at some point.

 

[Valdna]

Hi, new member here.

I am after some advice, I’ve had several iPhones over the years. Currently I have an XR. But I find I have issues when typing on it‘s keyboard. I use the standard iOS keyboard as I have found the third party ones to not be as good. But I find myself struggle to type on it, I sometimes press the full stop instead of the space bar, and regularly seem to type some gibberish instead of the word.
I’ve tried the phone in both zoomed screen mode and standard mode but it’s the same, I tend to use my keyboard in portrait mode a lot. Also I find the auto text suggestion box be present in some apps and not others, and if I’m typing along the top line and the box isn’t present I find myself taping the screen space above the keyboard and it disappears.

Now I didn’t find myself having these issues with my previous phone as much, a 4.7” 6S, apart from a cramped keyboard I found typing to be better on it, I put this to the phones design, 3D Touch screen and the chins, it seemed to work better, perhaps as the keyboard is high up the device?
I‘m not about to change to an iPhone SE though, but was thinking, would a 12 Mini or a 12 Max perhaps provide a better experience for me? I guess more so the 12 Max? What are people’s thoughts on the typing experience with the all screen iPhones? With the keyboards being lower down as a result? Are their any settings I could try to improve this?
Hopefully once I am able to and lockdown has surpassed I will be able to try the phones out, but what are people’s thoughts on this? I have had the XR since launch so it will be due a replacement this year or next, I was toying with the idea of getting a 12 Max cheaper once the 13 was launched.

Try Microsoft SwiftKey

 

[Pezimak]

Try Microsoft SwiftKey

Hi, thank you for your suggestion, I tried different keyboards including Seiftkey and I just didn’t like them as much as the default Apple one. So for me they didn’t work.