Text input

[Rogifan]

I'm sure Apple is trying to make the device as accessible as possible. But in certain cases a device with a larger display will make the most sense. On Macbreak Weekly yesterday Andy Ihnatko said he keeps reminding developers how small the screens really are. I don't think the Watch screen is big enough for a keyboard so if smart replies and dictation don't work for some people then they probably have to hand off to their phone.

 

[Night Spring]

I don't think the Watch screen is big enough for a keyboard so if smart replies and dictation don't work for some people then they probably have to hand off to their phone.

I sure wasn't suggesting we use a keyboard on the watch! Obviously the watch is too small to put a keyboard on it, hence the need for alternate methods of text input -- if there is to be text input on the watch at all.

And yes, for now I have to handoff to the phone if the smart replies don't show a response I want. But that doesn't mean we should just shrug and say that's how it's always going to be. Technology improvements are driven by asking "Is there any way to do this better?"

 

[Trius]

lol

Have we seen any sort of keyboard yet? How are we going to input text if we don't want to use voice dictation?

Picturing someone using a bluetooth keyboard to type on their watch makes me laugh.

 

[TonyC28]

No way there could be any kind of keyboard on that tiny screen. However, a T9 style input might be possible. I also don't think the idea of writing with your finger in a box is as ridiculous as it sounds for very short messages, maybe a few words. Morse code, while not many people know it, would also be a fun/interesting app for those who do. I could see Morse code users liking to be able to tap out a message on one watch and the other person receive it as vibrations and/or text on the screen on theirs.

 

[Bonestle]

I think this should answer all your questions

 

[TonyC28]

Andthenyourmessagewouldlooklikethisbecausehowdoyoudrawaspace?

Also what happens when you make a mistake, start from scratch? It would almost certainly take longer than using a pen and paper.

Tap the screen for space. Or draw a line/swipe. I don't think anyone is suggesting this would be the most efficient way to write a novel, but might not be a horrible option to include.

 

[Asthmatic Kitty]

So glad the Apple Watch doesn't even have the option for this. I think it'd just make me mad to see someone try to type out something on a watch.

 

[i0Nic]

Has anyone mentioned swipe style keyboards? This might actually work pretty well.

 

[Lennyvalentin]

This might actually work pretty well.

I wouldn't want to try even a swipe keyboard whilst jostling on a bus, or say, even when out about and walking. It would work, but damn it would be so slow I don't even want to think about it.

Human hands can be really precise when the body is at rest and the hand has solid, stationary support. When in motion, much of that precision goes down the crapper.

 

[noobinator]

Has anyone mentioned swipe style keyboards? This might actually work pretty well.

You must have really tiny fingertips!

 

[rjlawrencejr]

Image

So glad the Apple Watch doesn't even have the option for this. I think it'd just make me mad to see someone try to type out something on a watch.

Lol, yes it is definitely a miniature keyboard to say the least. However, I wouldn't be mad if this was an option - I doubt I would ever use it.

Also it is my understanding the voice record option in iMessage will be available as well.

 

[rorschach]

You use all ten fingers to type on an iPhone? Impressive.

I use dictation as much as possible.

Even two thumbs is significantly faster than just one finger.

And seeing as the Watch's screen would allow for only a few letters of a keyboard to be displayed at once, that leaves either only showing a small selection at once and scrolling/swiping to show more characters, or drawing one letter at a time (and waiting even a few milliseconds for it to convert it to type will slow down the process immensely.) Both options would be far slower than even two-thumb typing on the iPhone.

 

[troop231]

For some reason or another I think Morse code is going to find its way back.