Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
SwiftKey's iOS 8 Keyboard Hits One Million Downloads in Under 24 Hours
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Full Access has nothing to do with sandboxing - it only means that the keyboard can communicate with its container app. Which SwiftKey needs so that you can download additional languages in the app and use them in the keyboard
https://iossupport.swiftkey.com/hc/en-us/articles/201466641-Why-does-SwiftKey-need-Full-Access-
Swipe does not require its container for themes, or configuration, or settings. By using Swipe, I don't need to give permission to you to do whatever you want with my keystrokes like Swiftkey. It all boils down to trust. How would we know if you change your conditions online saying what you will do. There needs to be a way to do these things while guaranteeing that you NEVER have access to what I type.
Here is the part of SwiftKey's own privacy policy that completely DESTROYS any trust about the keylogging you perform:
From : http://swiftkey.com/en/privacy/
"if we are under a duty to disclose any information to comply with a legal obligation, we may be forced to disclose your information to a relevant authority."
Preferred the darker keyboards in iOS6 than the over-use-of-white keyboard in iOS7. Told Apple to fix that and they didn't in iOS8 - I guess because you can now get custom third party ones.
Downloaded SwiftKey's and use the darker keyboard. Love the fact that it shows upper/lower case characters like in Android (I use a Nexus 7).
Awesome free app...
Downloaded SwiftKey's and use the darker keyboard. Love the fact that it shows upper/lower case characters like in Android (I use a Nexus 7).
Awesome free app...
Thank your for coming on here and providing clarification. I take it as a big positive when reps (or other employees) come onto forums to clarify some issues and answer the questions we have implied.
I will definitely check out your forums for more information.
BTW, great product. The apple keyboard seems to be typing random things so once I did into the privacy piece a little more I will probably come back to swift key.
So far SwiftKey is my keyboard of choice, but that's only because it has learned a bit of Polish, which the Apple keyboard couldn't manage. But I gotta say that the keyboards implementation on iOS is awful compared to Android (L on a Nexus). I've used my friend's Nexus to compare and OMG! How can Apple be so backwards when it comes to usability. Changing the keyboard on the Android L is a second, plus you can get into all the keyboard preferences while writing. As much as I don't like Android and it's messiness, there are some functionalities that are just done better - like I would expect them to be on iOS.
I'm just disappointed with Apple, with all their talking about "ease of use", "it just works" and how it doesn't matter "who's first", but "who gets it right first"... keyboards are really a poor area in iOS. It's great that they finally freed that element of iOS, but come on. That's not enough.
If I may offer a small digression: iPhone 6 seems to be great a phone and I'll be getting one, although I considered HTC for a moment. It's a step forward comparing to 5S and especially to my 4S, but damn it, I really expected something more. Like one of the media reviews stated (don't remember which title The Verge or WSJ), it's a disappointment in that regard that the iPhone 6 is just iPhone 5S, but slightly better, mostly just bigger. I was expecting Apple to truly redefine big screen phones, make an awesome screen, some useful system functionalities that will put the bigger screen estate to use. Meanwhile all we get is the landscape mode, which is cool but limited to 6 Plus and no multitasking. They done it with OSX - they were the first to make working in multiple apps easy and fluent as a breeze with how easy you can move between apps and even apps in full screen. It's really awesome for me.
How come they don't do it with iOS? Imagine working/playing with Safari and Notes/Pages. You copy something form the website and paste into a writing app instantly. Or you're just writing something and you can reference a website or another document at the same time, just like you would on a Mac. That's what I would truly want for my iPhone to do. Games and books on a bigger screen are awesome, but they're not a feature. They come with the territory. After tears of telling customers they don't need bigger screens, because the 4 inch is perfect for one hand use, they get scared of the market trends and put out bigger screen iPhones. And that's it. They don't even justify it in any way - in marketing terms so to speak, like" Ok it took us long enough, but now we'll show you what's the bigger screen truly for etc.
Android may still be behind, at least for me, it still looks messier and more hectic than iOS, but damn are they making progress. I feel like Apple has stopped trying. Instead of rethinking the iPhone for the bigger screen, something that would make me go: "Wow, so that's what a bigger screen can be used for, that's what you can/should do with it", they have just blown up the iPhone 5 (the bezels!) and called it a day.
I'm just disappointed with Apple, with all their talking about "ease of use", "it just works" and how it doesn't matter "who's first", but "who gets it right first"... keyboards are really a poor area in iOS. It's great that they finally freed that element of iOS, but come on. That's not enough.
If I may offer a small digression: iPhone 6 seems to be great a phone and I'll be getting one, although I considered HTC for a moment. It's a step forward comparing to 5S and especially to my 4S, but damn it, I really expected something more. Like one of the media reviews stated (don't remember which title The Verge or WSJ), it's a disappointment in that regard that the iPhone 6 is just iPhone 5S, but slightly better, mostly just bigger. I was expecting Apple to truly redefine big screen phones, make an awesome screen, some useful system functionalities that will put the bigger screen estate to use. Meanwhile all we get is the landscape mode, which is cool but limited to 6 Plus and no multitasking. They done it with OSX - they were the first to make working in multiple apps easy and fluent as a breeze with how easy you can move between apps and even apps in full screen. It's really awesome for me.
How come they don't do it with iOS? Imagine working/playing with Safari and Notes/Pages. You copy something form the website and paste into a writing app instantly. Or you're just writing something and you can reference a website or another document at the same time, just like you would on a Mac. That's what I would truly want for my iPhone to do. Games and books on a bigger screen are awesome, but they're not a feature. They come with the territory. After tears of telling customers they don't need bigger screens, because the 4 inch is perfect for one hand use, they get scared of the market trends and put out bigger screen iPhones. And that's it. They don't even justify it in any way - in marketing terms so to speak, like" Ok it took us long enough, but now we'll show you what's the bigger screen truly for etc.
Android may still be behind, at least for me, it still looks messier and more hectic than iOS, but damn are they making progress. I feel like Apple has stopped trying. Instead of rethinking the iPhone for the bigger screen, something that would make me go: "Wow, so that's what a bigger screen can be used for, that's what you can/should do with it", they have just blown up the iPhone 5 (the bezels!) and called it a day.
This is not a true statement. Two apps in iOS 8 don't actually connect to each other, but rather use a separate piece of software that runs independently of the other app's instance. This is the reason Extensions were introduced in iOS 8, and are therefore sandboxed.
No, Swype on iOS doesn't have sync nor it allows you to download new languages. That's why it doesn't need full access.
You're right. We're providing a much more advanced feature set with cloud sync, backup, the ability to download new languages which is technically impossible in keyboards that don't have full access. That's why we get all the slack for all the keyboards, once we educate users on how it works, other keyboards will do the same if they want to offer any of these features. We're confident that by being transparent and by trying to explain all these details, people will understand all the facts. Nothing more we can do
We're just trying to build a great product, it's up to you whether you want to use it.Find more here about full access: https://iossupport.swiftkey.com/hc/en-us/articles/201466641-Why-does-SwiftKey-need-Full-Access-
And about our privacy policy: http://swiftkey.com/en/privacy/
Yup. Sometimes it takes up to a second for the keyboard to launch even on my 5S, which is super annoying. Reminds me of... what's that??... Android. Sigh.
If I understand correctly, the point you are trying to make is that Apple can disclose information on their servers due to a legal request.
You make a fair point.
BUT:
* Apple is not keylogging everything I type and storing it on an external server that I know nothing about.
* Apple only has access to what is backed up on their servers, so if you do not use their backup, it is not there.
* Apple (as of iOS8) can NO LONGER provide the government with the encryption key of your physical device according to their new privacy policy of a few days ago. (P.S. to Government: I have nothing interesting, I just find your monitoring creepy.)
You're right. We're providing a much more advanced feature set with cloud sync, backup, the ability to download new languages which is technically impossible in keyboards that don't have full access. That's why we get all the slack for all the keyboards, once we educate users on how it works, other keyboards will do the same if they want to offer any of these features. We're confident that by being transparent and by trying to explain all these details, people will understand all the facts. Nothing more we can do
Find more here about full access: https://iossupport.swiftkey.com/hc/en-us/articles/201466641-Why-does-SwiftKey-need-Full-Access-
And about our privacy policy: http://swiftkey.com/en/privacy/
Point taken. You have more features. But I don't need cloud sync (see above for reasons I do NOT want my data on the cloud), and I don't need backup, nor the ability to have new languages. Without these 'abilities' that I do not need, I do not need to allow you to log everything I type.
At this point I think we just need to agree to disagree. Some people don't mind you collecting everything they type. Personally I find that amazing.
Found out after I installed on my iPad Air that the swipe typing is only for iPhone and iPod. Bummer, but I did install Swype on the iPad and it works with swipe typing.
HOWEVER, its quirky. If I'm using the Swype keyboard and I put focus on a password field on a webpage, the keyboard reverts back to the stock Apple keyboard with no button to switch back to Swype.
ahmm.... thats the best part of implementation Apple made sure that keyboards dont ever know what you type for passwords and one of the many reason why i like Apples ecosystem and implementations.
Found out after I installed on my iPad Air that the swipe typing is only for iPhone and iPod. Bummer, but I did install Swype on the iPad and it works with swipe typing.
HOWEVER, its quirky. If I'm using the Swype keyboard and I put focus on a password field on a webpage, the keyboard reverts back to the stock Apple keyboard with no button to switch back to Swype.
I think this is supposed to be a feature that protect your password. I remember hearing about it in wwdc iOS 8 announcement.
SwiftKey's iOS 8 Keyboard Hits One Million Downloads in Under 24 Hours
While I wasn't one of the folks complaining about why iOS doesn't need a keyboard because Android has it I see no considerable advantage to using one. Especially if it wants full access to my phone. Screw that!
----------
I don't see how not wanting an unknown entity to have full access to everything you do on your phone being paranoid. It's not the company you need to worry about. It's people that can hack your phone through a keyboard app. Don't think it's possible? Keep thinking that!
Worst part about this keyboard, is that it requires full access for word prediction... which means the keyboard is no longer sandboxed.
![TR6ulqPl.png]()
![0i6alwml.png]()
This keyboard is also completely free, which begs the question how are they making money. They are probably data-minning the words we type. Like Apple said we are its product.
While I wasn't one of the folks complaining about why iOS doesn't need a keyboard because Android has it I see no considerable advantage to using one. Especially if it wants full access to my phone. Screw that!
----------
I don't see how not wanting an unknown entity to have full access to everything you do on your phone being paranoid. It's not the company you need to worry about. It's people that can hack your phone through a keyboard app. Don't think it's possible? Keep thinking that!
SwiftKey's iOS 8 Keyboard Hits One Million Downloads in Under 24 Hours
It's good but not great like the android version, I will love to see all the themes included iOS and maybe if possible that you can enable the keyboard to learn from mail app.
One thing I'm having is issues is with the 'enter' key on safari, when I tap it will delete and I have to double tap to get it to work.
Gesture/swipe typing so far its good and I'm waiting to get my 6+ to have the same screen experience I had with my note 3 and Swiftkey btw whe need resize option.
It's good but not great like the android version, I will love to see all the themes included iOS and maybe if possible that you can enable the keyboard to learn from mail app.
One thing I'm having is issues is with the 'enter' key on safari, when I tap it will delete and I have to double tap to get it to work.
Gesture/swipe typing so far its good and I'm waiting to get my 6+ to have the same screen experience I had with my note 3 and Swiftkey
btw whe need resize option.
SwiftKey's iOS 8 Keyboard Hits One Million Downloads in Under 24 Hours
I installed the Swype keyboard on my riPad Mini. I've only used it for entertainment, after some scotch. I squiggle my finger randomly across the keyboard and see what word it comes up with. Maybe a new form of divination?
----------
To test the Apple keyboard I put my rMini in airplane mode then typed this. The keyboard is still doing the predictive typing, so the words do not need to be sent to a server for it to work. Turning airplane mode off now so I can post this
I installed the Swype keyboard on my riPad Mini. I've only used it for entertainment, after some scotch. I squiggle my finger randomly across the keyboard and see what word it comes up with. Maybe a new form of divination?
----------
To test the Apple keyboard I put my rMini in airplane mode then typed this. The keyboard is still doing the predictive typing, so the words do not need to be sent to a server for it to work. Turning airplane mode off now so I can post this
To: Swiftkey
ugh.. number row.. why did you release a product with feature such as number row missing, where you know people asked for from the android side.
com'on now.
ugh.. number row.. why did you release a product with feature such as number row missing, where you know people asked for from the android side.
com'on now.
Possible bug
If I write something in the address bar of Safari, I only must accept Google suggestions from the list and I can't simply let Google search what I'm seeking... There is no "enter" button, just a right arrow next to "dot" button that doesn't do what I want (search what I have typed).
Is it a bug or my mistake?
If I write something in the address bar of Safari, I only must accept Google suggestions from the list and I can't simply let Google search what I'm seeking... There is no "enter" button, just a right arrow next to "dot" button that doesn't do what I want (search what I have typed).
Is it a bug or my mistake?