In a statement to CNET, Microsoft’s director of product management at SwiftKey, Chris Wolfe has mentioned that the company will continue support for SwiftKey on Android and the “underlying technology that powers the Windows touch keyboard.” Wolfe also mentioned that users who already have SwiftKey installed can continue using the service until they manually uninstall the app or buy a new phone.
What is SwiftKey
SwiftKey is a common keyboard app for smartphones that offers predictive texting with AI algorithms. This app tries to guess what users want to convey even before they type. This app also allows users to type in multiple languages simultaneously and users don’t have to switch between languages. The app even offers multiple customisable themes and more.
Why Microsoft is ending SwiftKey support on iOS
The Redmond giant has not clearly stated the reason for its decision to end SwiftKey support for iPhone users. Microsoft might be facing challenges to offer improved cross-device experiences that it wants for iOS. Some Reddit users also flagged that the iOS version of SwiftKey hasn’t received a new update for almost a year.
The company also recently updated SwiftKey’s Android client with the ability to sync clipboard across devices using the cloud, which is something difficult to be done on iOS. Apple‘s closed ecosystem prevents certain apps from accessing important parts of iOS.
This might be the reason for apps like Phone Link to be available only on Android. With Swiftkey being discontinued on iOS, iPhone users can look up other alternatives like Google’s Gboard.
