Returned to iPhone, and the keyboard is still terrible in iOS 5

[aztooh]

As I type "likebthis" right now, iOS is trying to correct it. You should try resetting your iOS keyboard dictionary. It's possible some words got saved to the dictionary erroneously, so the autocorrect ignores them.

Go to Settings -> General -> Reset (at the bottom) -> Reset Keybord Dictionary

See if that helps.

I hit 'b' and 'n' at times when trying to get the spacebar...sometimes it gets corrected, sometimes it doesn't. It's much better at correcting words when you just miss/omit the space altogether.

According to iOS, 'so' isn't a word, as it's always replaced with 'do'.

One other thing that was mentioned that reallllly grinds my gears; when the suggested word pops up...I have NO CLUE how to select or cancel the correction. I'm either TERRIBLE at hitting the X or iOS just decides it's going to change the word regardless of what I want it to do.

 

[matttye]

Image

Image

I'll let you off this time

Most Android keyboards have the double tap space to insert a full stop option too. And autocorrect on IOS sucks, let's face it. On Android I only have to tell the keyboard something is a word ONCE. On IOS you have to constantly do it until it learns.

No brainer which is better.

 

[mbell1975]

Typing on a 3.5 inch screen? LOL. Its ok on a BB cause it has physical keys but an onscreen keyboard, thats a joke.

 

[onthecouchagain]

And autocorrect on IOS sucks, let's face it. On Android I only have to tell the keyboard something is a word ONCE. On IOS you have to constantly do it until it learns.

Not to mention vice versa, if you want the iOS to forget something it accidentally learned, you have to wipe the keyboard. In Android, you can just remove that single word.

 

[ChazUK]

The stock Galaxy S III keyboard is

, no doubt about it in my eyes.

I found the auto-correct to be utter

which is why I chose to use Swiftkey whilst mine was stock. Now I'm on CyanogenMod 9 however, I'm sticking with the stock AOSP keyboard for now.

 

[mbell1975]

The stock Galaxy S III keyboard is Image, not doubt about it in my eyes.

I found the auto-correct to be utter Image which is why I chose to use Swiftkey whilst mine was stock. Now I'm on CyanogenMod 9 however, I'm sticking with the stock AOSP keyboard for now.

works fine for me. love how you can swipe too

 

[ChazUK]

works fine for me. love how you can swipe too

After owning three generations of Nexus phones (and a Galaxy S II running an AOSP ROM) I'm kind of used to the stock keyboards so I may be a little biased.

 

[oBMTo]

Sorry Dodge but I call BS. You always come up with these little anecdotes in nearly every thread, and every time these people just happen to agree with your own views about the iPhone.

I thought I was the only one who caught on to his little scam.

 

[Prof.]

I honestly think the keyboard on the original iPhone/iPod touch was far superior to the keyboard on current-gen iPhones. When I would type on my 1st gen iPod touch, I'd hardly to never 'miss' a key. However, with my iPhone 4S, I constantly miss keys.

 

[NT1440]

Honestly its just what you become accustomed to. I can't use any other type of touch keyboard with any real accuracy, like when I try out my co-workers android phones, but the reverse is true as well.

PS, the keyboard is exactly the same as it has always been (in regard to the qwerty part, not the dictation symbols), whats changed is the touch input algorithms.

 

[techiegeek1225]

This is probably the only thing from the Android keyboard that I prefer over iOS's. Other than that, it has been my personal experience that iOS's keyboard is far superior in correctly predicting context, grammar, and spelling.

I second to that! It is user friendly per se, android tabs make my instances of "chubby-finger" errors are lessened in typing as opposed to iPhone. But when we talk about correcting typos and predicting spelling etc, iOS is the best!

 

[daneoni]

To each their own. I personally find iOS's keyboard to be the best software keyboard i've ever come across...and i've tried keyboards from ALL the platforms out there.

 

[NicoleRichie]

I cannot stress how poor the iOS keyboard is on the iPhone. I recently switched back to 4S and there are many things about this phone I like, but typing remains a sore spot. It's almost a deal breaker.

It's not just that it misses keys (which it does constantly--now I know where all those funny iPhone typo/autocorrection websites come from), but just other little things, like how it doesn't recognize and separate words when a bottom-row letter is pressed instead of the spacebar ('likebthis' will become 'like this' with the ICS keyboard) or how if iPHone thinks you've made a typo, but you're actually typing either slang or something, on ICS you can hit backspace once and it'll "un-autocorrect" it back to what you originally wrote. With the iOS keyboard, it's hit or miss trying to tap that X button to cancel their autocorrection. These are just two examples. There are many other little things that ICS keyboard just does so much more intuitively, which the iOS keyboard does not.

The shortcuts help mitigate the problem, but it's a roundabout way. The keyboard should be able to keep up. I have to type so much slower in order to avoid typos. I don't know if it's the screen size or what (because I noticed iOS keyboard is infinitely better on the iPad in either keyboard-mode or split-key mode), but the keyboard desperately needs to be updated or revamped in iOS 6.

And I know I can't be the only one who's experiencing this. I say this because I think it speaks to a bigger issue, and that is, iPhone users tend to deny that the phone has any faults, and some will even go as far to claim it as perfect, or "it just works." I've said this before: anyone who has genuinely used both platforms (Android, and specifically ICS, and iOS. Sorry Windows) will admit they both have their share of problems. This is called intellectual honesty, and when people taut that something is perfect when it's not, it actually does disservice to the product. If no one ever admits this, there is no reason for Apple to make improvements. Maybe this is why the keyboard has barely been upgraded.

Anyway, thanks for listening, and if you experience the same thing, do chime up.

I must say the original iOS on the original iPhone worked best when it came to keyboard accuracy. After the first big iOS update and every iPhone since I feel the keyboard experience was not as good, but I do not feel that it has declined with the release of iOS 5.

 

[yegon]

Besides the keyboard, Mail, Safari (Safari so sorely needs more intuitive controls on the iPhone. It takes at least three steps to switch between tabs), navigating menus in general (especially in Settings), folders, swiping between apps, gesturing to go home, etc., are all so much better handled on the iPad. Even Notifications is a bit nicer because you can see more things in the lock screen.

Again, I know I might be stating the obvious because the iPad has the bigger screen, and you might even say the crux of this post is that the iPhone needs a larger screen, but I really don't think that would necessarily solve some of these inherent issues of iOS on the iPhone.

I think Apple needs to update iOS with specific improvements for the iPhone. Swiping should be introduced to Safari iPhone (I am really resisting trying to draw comparisons, but look to Chrome mobile browser for a brilliant way of swiping between tabs), the keyboard needs improvement, Mail needs to, at least, give you the option to show full threads (not to mention allow attachments; I know this plagues iPad too), ... and so on and so on.

In short, iOS 6 really needs to bring it.

Definitely agree about Safari. There's two reasons I jailbreak, one of them being Fullscreen Safari which adds the kind of gestures you say - pulling left and right to change tabs for example, and various other tweaks.

The other thing is Zephyr, a swipe up off the bezel seamlessly bringing up the multitasking bar. Miiiiles better and more reliable than double tapping the home button.

These two, NCSettings and Activator, are the only the jb tweaks I use, the phone remains as swift as it ever was thankfully - I've over tweaked in the past and it wasn't pleasant so really dialled it down.

I wish Apple would introduce these things as it improves the experience immeasurably.

I confess I have no real issue with the keyboard tbh, I'd still prefer it to Swiftkey and Swype which I've used quite a bit on the G Note. That's personal preference though, I can see how others would think the exact opposite.

 

[ixodes]

The keyboards on the various iPhones I've had are just fine. It's not the best or the worst. What would be a huge improvement for my heavy use, would be a larger display, since obviously it gives you more working room. I prefer typing in landscape mode. That's where one has the least amount of space, since the keyboard covers more that half the display space.

 

[Roessnakhan]

Your almost 3 generations behind on Android stock keyboards. Droid X actually had a custom Moto keyboard; it was not stock. And regarding stock you had Froyo, Gingerbread, Ice Cream Sandwich and now Jelly bean. But some consider Swiftkey to be the best, others like SlideIt but you like swype. That's the beauty of Android. You decide what you like.

Its funny that you quoted me on today of all days, I have been playing with an Android phone on Jelly Bean. Probably throws Android to #1 or #2 spot now. Really enjoying it.

 

[onthecouchagain]

I must say the original iOS on the original iPhone worked best when it came to keyboard accuracy. After the first big iOS update and every iPhone since I feel the keyboard experience was not as good, but I do not feel that it has declined with the release of iOS 5.

It's interesting you bring this up because I could have sworn typing on the 3GS felt faster and more responsive.

I never mention it though because I chalk it up to nostalgia and my standards for on-screen keyboards to be lower back then.

 

[gta50419]

I can't take this thread serious..... iOS have the best keyboard layout

 

[virginblue4]

I cannot stress how poor the iOS keyboard is on the iPhone. I recently switched back to 4S and there are many things about this phone I like, but typing remains a sore spot. It's almost a deal breaker.

It's not just that it misses keys (which it does constantly--now I know where all those funny iPhone typo/autocorrection websites come from), but just other little things, like how it doesn't recognize and separate words when a bottom-row letter is pressed instead of the spacebar ('likebthis' will become 'like this' with the ICS keyboard) or how if iPHone thinks you've made a typo, but you're actually typing either slang or something, on ICS you can hit backspace once and it'll "un-autocorrect" it back to what you originally wrote. With the iOS keyboard, it's hit or miss trying to tap that X button to cancel their autocorrection. These are just two examples. There are many other little things that ICS keyboard just does so much more intuitively, which the iOS keyboard does not.

The shortcuts help mitigate the problem, but it's a roundabout way. The keyboard should be able to keep up. I have to type so much slower in order to avoid typos. I don't know if it's the screen size or what (because I noticed iOS keyboard is infinitely better on the iPad in either keyboard-mode or split-key mode), but the keyboard desperately needs to be updated or revamped in iOS 6.

And I know I can't be the only one who's experiencing this. I say this because I think it speaks to a bigger issue, and that is, iPhone users tend to deny that the phone has any faults, and some will even go as far to claim it as perfect, or "it just works." I've said this before: anyone who has genuinely used both platforms (Android, and specifically ICS, and iOS. Sorry Windows) will admit they both have their share of problems. This is called intellectual honesty, and when people taut that something is perfect when it's not, it actually does disservice to the product. If no one ever admits this, there is no reason for Apple to make improvements. Maybe this is why the keyboard has barely been upgraded.

Anyway, thanks for listening, and if you experience the same thing, do chime up.

Just thought I'd point out that I tried typing 'likebthis' and it did change it to like this. So iOS does do thais not just ICS.

The iOS keyboard is easily the best Mobile keyboard out there, both on the iPhone and the iPad.

 

[oBMTo]

I can't take this thread serious..... iOS have the best keyboard layout

And how many keyboards have you used extensively?

 

[ChazUK]

Just thought I'd point out that I tried typing 'likebthis' and it did change it to like this. So iOS does do thais not just ICS.

The iOS keyboard is easily the best Mobile keyboard out there, both on the iPhone and the iPad.

O'rly?

 

[xAnthony]

No, no keyboard is perfect. That's the crux of my last [and important] paragraph in my OP.

I'm saying, ICS stock keyboard is faster, more intuitive and clever, and more reliable to type on than iOS keyboard.

EDIT: And, more importantly, I'm also saying people need to admit the iOS keyboard severely needs improvement.

I personally never even thought about the iOS keyboard to have any issues. I personally love it. I have big hands and I've never had any issues with it. Maybe you need to improve your finger accuracy and you won't make as many errors. I even type 95% of the time without looking at the keyboard.

Out of all places the iOS could improve, the keyboard is the least of my worries.

 

[Tom G.]

If you note the "microphone" symbol next to the Space Bar, it means that you don't have to use the keyboard at all. Just dictate. I use this method a lot and it works quite well.

Not perfect, but then you have already indicated that typing is not perfect either. I do proofread and make corrections, sometimes getting a good laugh out of how my words have been translated.

However, for me dictation works 80 to 90% of the time quite well.

 

[ChrisTX]

If you've ever used any of the various Android keyboards for any length of time like swift key, or swype, you'll come to greatly appreciate the iOS keyboard.

 

[onthecouchagain]

If you note the "microphone" symbol next to the Space Bar, it means that you don't have to use the keyboard at all. Just dictate. I use this method a lot and it works quite well.

Not perfect, but then you have already indicated that typing is not perfect either. I do proofread and make corrections, sometimes getting a good laugh out of how my words have been translated.

However, for me dictation works 80 to 90% of the time quite well.

Dictation is better on ICS. I notice when dictating longer sentences on my iPad it suffers and gets words wrong or misses them entirely. On ICS however since it types out what you're saying as you're speaking it has no problem handling long sentences. It's also generally better at getting what you're saying correctly. It honestly surprises me every time how accurate it is. I don't get the same level of reliability when dictating on my iPad, especially when sentences get long.