Microsoft has rolled out a major update to Swiftkey for iOS, bringing a multitude of new features, improvements, and fixes. The keyboard uses a neural network to create high-quality predictions when a user is typing, saving time and avoiding annoying autocorrect mistakes.
Now, however, that functionality now better extends to emojis. A new emoji prediction panel puts the right one right at a users fingertips. After typing a sentence, users receive suggestions of up to 18 emojis that match it.
It's joined by a total of eight new themes, all in the ‘oxygen' style and available free of charge. The Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Dark Blue, Purple, and Pink colors should give some new vibrancy to the typing experience.
Haptic Feedback and New Languages
However, some users will be more excited to hear the improvement of an existing feature. Microsoft has listened to feedback about SwiftKey's implementation of 3D Touch. The iOS feature lets users long press to launch actions, switch keyboards, and perform other tasks quickly within an app.
SwitfKey now supports a better experience when using 3D Touch to trigger cursor control, leading to a more responsive experience. It's also thrown in haptic feedback functionality for those on iPhone 7 or higher, adding small vibrations when you trigger certain actions.
Users in non-English speaking countries are also in for a treat. On top of the 100 languages already available, SwiftKey now supports the following:
- Akan (Twi)
- Egyptian Arabic
- Bambara
- Dagbani
- Jola-Fonyi
- Ewe
- Gujlish
- Greenlandic
- Lingala
- Latgalian
- Mossi
- Northern Sami
- Shona
- Tanglish
- Wolof
The additions will be greatly appreciated by the speakers of those languages, as will all the new features in this build. As usual, you can grab the update from the App Store and try them for yourself.
