Typewise

Typewise is a virtual keyboard developed by Typewise AG for Android and iOS devices. Typewise features a self-developed hexagonal layout and a predictive typing engine suggesting the next word depending on context and multilingual language support. It includes a dark color theme as well as other designs. The keyboard supports more than 40 languages. In December 2020, Typewise passed 500,000 installs on the Google Play Store and App Store (iOS).

Typewise
Developer(s)Typewise AG
Initial releaseDecember 2019, 1 year ago
Stable release
2.6.8 / December 17, 2020 (2020-12-17)
Operating systemAndroid, iOS
Available in40+ languages
TypeVirtual keyboard
Websitehttps://typewise.app/

History

Typewise was founded in May 2019 by David Eberle and Janis Berneker.[1] Its head office is in Zurich, Switzerland. In 2015, Eberle and Berneker initiated a Kickstarter Crowdfunding Campaign where they raised approx. USD 17,000. With those the founders launched an app prototype in 2016 under the name “WRIO Keyboard” on App Store and Play Store. In 2019, Typewise launched the app to the public. In July 2020, Typewise sought and received funding from angel investors as well as a Swiss research grant, totaling US$1.04 million, allowing for the continued development of the keyboard's artificial intelligence. At that point, the app had amassed roughly 250,000 downloads and had approximately 65,000 active users.[2] By November 2020, Typewise expanded its total financing to US$1.52 million, including the research grant.[3]

Features

Typewise is a mobile application for iOS and Android smartphones that provides features for typing on a smartphone. The app offers two keyboard layouts, the traditional QWERTY keyboard and the self-invented hexagonal layout (“honeycomb layout”) which was developed especially for typing with two thumbs.[4][5]

The keyboard employs swipe gestures that replace keys like ⇧ Shift and ← Backspace to edit text. Deleting text is done with a swipe to the left. Deleted text can be restored with a swipe back to the right. Letters can be capitalized or lowercased by swiping up or down on their respective keys, and diacritics can be added to letters by pressing and holding the corresponding key.[6]

Typewise Keyboard supports over 40 languages and allows typing in multiple languages simultaneously by means of an algorithmic language recognition. Typewise’s core technology draws on text prediction, which consists of auto-corrections and word-completion. The company collaborates with ETH Zurich’s Data Analytics Lab, supported by Innosuisse (Switzerland's Innovation Agency) to further develop the technology.

honeycomb keyboard layout

Layout

Typewise uses a hexagonal keyboard layout that is designed to introduce fewer typos into text typed with the keyboard than a QWERTY keyboard on a mobile device.[7][8] While the arrangement of the letters on the keyboard is influenced by the QWERTY layout, the hexagonal shape allows for larger keys than a rectangular layout.[9]

Besides the shape and size of the keys, the Typewise layout features a number of differences to QWERTY and other rectangular layouts.[10][11] Instead of a singular Space bar at the bottom of the keyboard, there are two smaller space bars in the middle. A lot of keys are replaced by swipe gestures, see Features.

Artificial intelligence

To power text prediction for the keyboard, Typewise developed an artificial intelligence with the Swiss science institute ETH Zurich.[12] Typewise's artificial intelligence is designed to run entirely on the user's device in light of privacy concerns related to transmitting potentially sensitive user typing data over the internet.[13][14] The keyboard’s text prediction technology does not send any typing data to a cloud as it runs offline.[15]

Awards

- BOSA (Best of Swiss App Awards) 2020 – Gold for Functionality & Silver for Innovation [16]

- CES Innovation Award 2021 – Honoree for Software & Mobile Apps [17]

- Swiss AI Award – 2nd Place [18]

References
  1. "Founder Feature: David Eberle, Co-Founder of Typewise". tbTech. 2020-03-12.
  2. "Typewise taps $1M to build an offline next word prediction engine". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2020-12-14.
  3. "Swiss startup Typewise raises €1 million to grow its next-gen smart phone keyboard". EU-Startups. 2020-11-05.
  4. "RIP, the terror of errors". The Telegraph online. 2020-07-27.
  5. "How to ease typing on your mobile phone with the Typewise keyboard". TechRepublic. 2020-06-16.
  6. Typewise (2020-09-01). "10 tips for Typewise you didn't know". Medium. Retrieved 2020-12-15.
  7. "Typewise wants to get rid of the only keyboard layout you know how to use". Android Police. 2019-12-16. Retrieved 2020-12-14.
  8. "The best Android apps 2020: stock up your Android phone". TechRadar.
  9. "The best keyboards for the iPhone". digitaltrends. 2020-12-01.
  10. "A better way to type on an iPhone?". Houston Chronicle. 2020-02-05.
  11. "A better way to type on an iPhone?". the Mac Observer. 2020-02-05.
  12. "How David Eberle, Co-Founder And CEO At Typewise Raised $1M To Build A Next Generation Smartphone Keyboard?". AsiaTechDaily - Asia's Leading Tech and Startup Media Platform. 2020-12-10. Retrieved 2020-12-15.
  13. "Typewise - A Mobile Keyboard With 80% Fewer Typos and 100% Privacy". 2020-09-18. Retrieved 2020-12-14.
  14. "1340: The Mobile Keyboard With 80% Fewer Typos and 100% Privacy (Podcast)". the Tech Blog Writer. 2020-09-18.
  15. "Typewise Keyboard Review: Meet The Safest Revolutionary Keyboard". Fossbytes. 2020-07-29.
  16. "Best of Swiss Apps 2020".
  17. "Typewise Keyboard By Typewise AG - Honoree Software & Mobile Apps". Consumer Technology Association.
  18. "Swiss AI Award - The first Switzerland-wide AI Award". AiCon.
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