With the introduction of iOS 8, Apple users have seen an influx of features that were once found only on Android devices. The most notable, and sometimes convenient, feature to make its way to Apple’s mobile OS has been the support of third-party keyboards. We here at mobiletweaks.net have touched on third-party keyboards, but unfortunately iOS 7’s inability to support them was a drawback that many found frustrating. Not anymore, however, so we’ve compiled four of the best and unique third-party keyboards you can find, for now, on iOS 8!
SwiftKey (FREE)
For many years, any list of alternate keyboards without SwiftKey was simply incomplete. Almost without a doubt, SwiftKey is one of the most intelligent and intuitive keyboards you will find on the mobile market. No other keyboard that I’ve found can adapt to my typing and writing styles and, based on those styles, predict what it is that I have to say next as well as this app has in the past. And it seems that they’ve brought that same functionality to iOS 8. I can honestly say that it is the first app that I installed once the latest iOS was released.
Minuum ($1.99)
Minuum was featured on mobiletweaks.net before for the Android OS, but it seems that the iOS version is just as unique and easy to use. Minuum seems small and impossible at first, but you will be hard pressed to find something new and different like this little keyboard with as small a learning curve. As featured before, Minuum collapses the entire onscreen keyboard into one small strip along the bottom and, instead of accuracy, relies on its incredible predictive abilities for your typing needs. It prides, and showcases itself, as the best and sloppiest keyboard on the market.
Swype ($0.99)
Swype is, without a doubt, the easiest way to type one handed on any mobile keyboard anywhere. Most everyone is familiar with Swype’s method of input. Simply run your finger in one fluid motion over the keys of the word you want to type and, based on Swype’s predictive text algorithm and past typing habits, Swype will almost always bring up the word you were trying to input. And as stated before, Swype’s ability to learn your typing style from analyzing your social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter along with your email accounts, much like the previous keyboards mentioned in this list, can often set Swype up for your nearly flawless input from the get-go.
Riffsky GIF Keyboard (Free)
Last and certainly not least we have Riffsky. Riffsky eliminates the need to hunt down, download, then past into a message, your favorite GIFs. With a library of well-organized GIFs and a great search function, its interface is incredibly easy to use. Simply tap on the GIF you want, then paste it into your message body. Some of the most fun I’ve had lately with my iPhone has been with Riffsky, especially considering that some of my favorite saved GIFs can be easily added to the Riffsky library for my own quick use.
