We have seen that among the iOS 8 extensions there are also external keyboards, to replace the standard default one with one that can be more comfortable to type and can have more functions.As on Android, therefore, even on iPhone and iPad you can change the keyboard with an external app.
Even though iOS8 is out recently, several developers, including some famous for their Android apps, have already released several keyboards to add to iPhones and iPads.
Install a keyboard on an iPhone or iPad with iOS 12 and later is pretty straightforward. After downloading and installing one of the apps to change keyboard, go to the iPhone settings, tap on General, scroll down until you find keyboard. Tapping on "Add New Keyboard" you should see all the keyboards installed with the possibility to choose which one to use.
A warning will then appear regarding the possibility for these keyboards to see what you type, which is normal if you install secure applications such as those listed below. You will be left behind at the settings Keyboards. Tap the one you want to use again, then toggle full access to. You will be warned that keyboards - especially predictive third party ones - can see everything you type. This is normal. Going back in the list of selected keyboards, you can delete the ones you don't want to use. Removing a keyboard from the list does not delete it until you uninstall its application and you can always tap on Add to restore it. To try out the new keyboard, open a writing app like Notepad, touch the globe key to choose which keyboard to use.
The best keyboards that can be installed on iPhone and iPad I'm 8.
1) Google GBoard keyboard, also for iPhone, the best way to search the internet without leaving the keyboard and to have the fastest possible typing method.
2) Microsoft's SwiftKey is the same app that has been available for a long time for Android smartphones, the best for ease and predictive capabilities on the iPhone. It learns, during use, which are the most used words and allows you to write extremely quickly, correcting typing errors and suggesting words before writing them, completing sentences. The keyboard can be customized by changing colors and with a light or dark theme depending on your preferences. SwiftKey is the first application to install to try the keyboard change on iPhone also because, unlike others, it is completely free.
3) Swype (No longer exists it was the first keyboard on Android with automatic writing by dragging your finger over the letters without ever detaching it. While this way of writing on the touchscreen can be scary at first, it works really well and there is no competition in terms of writing speed compared to the traditional method of tapping on each letter. Swype for iOS also has a custom dictionary where you can store the most used words to write them in a semi-automatic way. By keeping a word touched, you can activate the prediction of the next word. Emoji and the app costs € 0,89.
4) Minuum is another keyboard already present in the Android landscape, very particular. Its characteristic is to remain small on the screen, putting the letters all on a single line, super minimal, useful for writing while leaving the text clearly visible, even when the smartphone is oriented horizontally. The app can therefore be used both in normal mode and in compact mode, with predictive writing similar, but much more precise, to that of the old Nokia T9. It takes some time to get used to the keyboard's compact mode, but it is very functional and smart at learning while in use to understand which words to write. To switch between modes, just swipe your finger up or down on the keyboard.
Unfortunately, Minuum for iPhone, in addition to costing 1,79 euros, only supports the English language.
5) Fleksy is a fast typing keyboard with word prediction. It works so well that you can spell a word completely wrong, even by touching keys without looking (so much so that it is the recommended keyboard for those who cannot see), and get the right word. For those who love customization, the keyboard can be colored and can also be zoomed in to see better. The app is also in english and costs 1 Euro.
6) TouchPal is another alternative keyboard, completely free, to quickly type words in the traditional way (by tapping the various keys) and to paste text from other applications via the quick share buttons. The keyboard includes hundreds of Emojis to enter by holding the Enter key.
7) Rainbow Keyboard is one of the best iPhone keyboard apps to customize the keys according to your needs. The app allows you to choose the keyboard size based on the app you are typing in, sounds, keyboard theme, space width, etc. The option to choose from 40 languages makes it better than other iPhone keyboard apps.
8) TextExpander is a handy keyboard app that allows you to memorize phrases to be entered with shortcuts. You can then, for example, write "thank you very much" by typing the grz keys. You can use it conveniently to quickly reply to emails or messages, to enter postal addresses, email addresses and so on. Stored words are synced via Dropbox or iCloud. The app supports the english language but costs 4,50 Euros.
These are just some of the best keyboards available for iOS 8 right now and I will update the list when new alternatives come out, especially if they are innovative and free.
