Apple is updating the virtual keyboard in iOS 8… but for the first time the company is also now adding support for system-wide, third-party keyboards.

In other words, you can expect to see popular Android apps like Swype and Swiftkey come to the iPhone and iPad.

swype

Third-party keyboard support is part of Apple’s new support for apps that are sandboxed from the core operating system… but which allow other apps to access features securely.

This makes it possible to do things like include support for widgets in the notification center, or for keyboard apps that work across the system, no matter which other apps you’re using. Up until now, that was a type of app that Apple did not allow.

By default, keyboard apps won’t have internet access, for security reasons. But since some keyboard apps rely on cloud access for text prediction or other features, developers can give users an option of choosing whether or not to give a keyboard app internet access.

Update: SwiftKey is one of the first keyboard app makers to announce plans to release an iOS app. Apple also showed a picture of Swype running on iOS during the WWDC 2014 keynote.

Support Liliputing

Liliputing's primary sources of revenue are advertising and affiliate links (if you click the "Shop" button at the top of the page and buy something on Amazon, for example, we'll get a small commission).

But there are several ways you can support the site directly even if you're using an ad blocker* and hate online shopping.

Contribute to our Patreon campaign

or...

Contribute via PayPal

* If you are using an ad blocker like uBlock Origin and seeing a pop-up message at the bottom of the screen, we have a guide that may help you disable it.

Subscribe to Liliputing via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 9,544 other subscribers