SwiftKey Flow slides in to rival official Android keyboard
Swiping is in and SwiftKey reckons it's nailed it
Swiping is fast becoming the new tapping when it comes to smartphone keyboards and SwiftKey Flow is looking to get in on the action.
The Swype system has been established for some time and recently Google introduced its own version with the Android 4.2 Jelly Bean update, which signals just how popular this method of text input has become.
In essence SwiftKey Flow is just offering users what's already available, but there are some key advances drawing on the "Flow" name.
Get ready for non-lift off
Current offerings allow you to slide you fingers between the letters for a particular word, but you still have to lift off to start a new word; SwiftKey Flow alleviates this problem.
The "Flow through Space" feature means you need to just slide your digit over the space bar and then go straight onto the next word so your finger never leaves the screen – increasing the speed of typing out a message.
The system is still in beta, so expect the accuracy and next letter/word prediction to improve because early reports suggest it struggles a little with longer missives such as emails.
Is SwiftKey Flow the best swiping-typing option available? It's still too early to say, but SwiftKey does make a damn good Android keyboard so you should probably check it out – we certainly will be.
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John joined TechRadar over a decade ago as Staff Writer for Phones, and over the years has built up a vast knowledge of the tech industry. He's interviewed CEOs from some of the world's biggest tech firms, visited their HQs and has appeared on live TV and radio, including Sky News, BBC News, BBC World News, Al Jazeera, LBC and BBC Radio 4. Originally specializing in phones, tablets and wearables, John is now TechRadar's resident automotive expert, reviewing the latest and greatest EVs and PHEVs on the market. John also looks after the day-to-day running of the site.