After a number of speculations and closed beta testing, Microsoft has finally opened up its Word Flow Windows phone keyboard for iPhone to a larger audience. The innovative keyboard experience is now available for iPhone owners to download, featuring an intelligent word recommendation algorithm, a unique one-hand mode, access to device Contacts for name predictions, and even the ability to personalize the experience with backgrounds.
The Microsoft Garage project is not only trying to replicate the functionality found in the Word Flow keyboard for Windows phones, but do so in a manner that could potentially convince iPhone owners to ditch the stock Apple keyboard permanently in favor of Microsoft’s offering. As part of those efforts, Word Flow for iPhone offers a “blazing fast” input experience thanks to an intelligent prediction engine that not only attempts to predict what you’re trying to type, or swipe, but also corrects mistakes and makes suggestions about the next word in your sentence.
There’s also built-in access to Contacts – if permission is given, of course – that allows Word Flow for iPhone to predict the names of contacts being typed to make the whole experience even faster. It seems that the whole Word Flow experience is built and aimed toward those who want more efficiency from a keyboard.
Microsoft has also taken into consideration the fact that a lot of us use one of Apple’s larger screen iPhones, such as the iPhone 6/6s or the iPhone 6 Plus/6s Plus. To that end there’s a stunning Arc mode built-in, aimed toward those one-handed typing fans who want to reach specific corners of the keyboard on a larger screen device in an easier manner.
Finally, Word Flow also caters to those individuals who like their iPhone to be as unique as them. To handle those needs, the keyboard comes bundled with personalization options that sees the keyboard ship with a number of free wallpapers that users can set as the background of the keyboard itself. If that isn’t good enough, then one can also be selected from the device Camera Roll.
After months of waiting, Word Flow for iPhone is finally here, albeit only officially for those consumers in the United States who type in English only.
If you’re outside of the U.S. but want to download the keyboard right now, you’ll need to create a U.S based App Store/iTunes account. To do that, check out out guide here: How To Create US, UK Or Any App Store / iTunes Account Anywhere In The World.
(Download: Word Flow for iPhone from the App Store)
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