Microsoft SwiftKey Keyboard for iOS gets its first update in over a year
Microsoft has released a new update for its SwiftKey keyboard for iOS. This is the first update that the app has received in well over a year.
SwiftKey for iOS updated to version 2.9.4
There was some drama surrounding the popular keyboard app in October, when Microsoft announced that it would end support for SwiftKey on iOS. True to its word, the Redmond company pulled the plug on it by delisting it from the App Store, and thus prevented it from being downloaded on new devices or fresh installations of iOS and iPadOS. This also meant that users were stuck with Apple's default iOS keyboard, and I'm not going to mince words when I say that the app is hot garbage when it comes to predicting text and autocorrecting typos. This becomes even more of a problem if you use multiple languages. Google's Gboard app for iOS isn't particularly impressive either.
So it wasn't exactly a surprise to see SwiftKey's users request the software giant to restore their favorite keyboard app back on Apple's storefront. A few weeks ago, Microsoft finally acknowledged that based on popular demand that it received from users, it was bringing SwiftKey back from the dead. However, the restored version on the App Store was not exactly up to the standard that users had anticipated, as it was still the buggy one that was released more than a year ago. To be precise, the previous version of SwiftKey, which was 2.9.2, rolled out to users on 11th August 2021.
Microsoft's executives who are in charge of SwiftKey reassured users that they would continue supporting the app, and told them to expect an update in the future. Well, it's here already. SwiftKey for iOS version 2.9.4 is now available on the iOS App Store. The change log for the update is not very descriptive, it just mentions that the latest version contains "Bug fixes and performance improvements". This has become a meme, why do developers even bother including a release note like that?
Microsoft SwiftKey Keyboard fixes sign in issue on iOS
Jokes aside, I was curious to see what bugs the update has fixed. If you read my previous coverage, you may be aware that SwiftKey was not allowing users to log in to their account. This meant that you could not sync your dictionary to the cloud, so you could lose access to your data. Vishnu Nath, the Vice President & General Manger of the Office Product Group and SwiftKey, explained on Twitter, that SwiftKey Keyboard 2.9.4 includes a fix for the Microsoft account bug. I can confirm that I am able to sign in to my account on my iPad and an iPhone.
Download SwiftKey for iOS version 2.9.4 from the App Store.
Hopefully, this update is just the first of many to come, and we will see some proper feature drops for SwiftKey in the future. While the app is good, but it's nowhere nearly as rich as the Android version. That is likely due to the limited APIs which Apple has made available for third-party keyboards on iOS.
Have you run into any bugs in SwiftKey 2.9.4, or has it fixed some previous issues that you had experienced?
Uhh, this has already been possible – I am not sure how but remember my brother telling me about it. I’m not a whatsapp user so not sure of the specifics, but something about sending the image as a file and somehow bypassing the default compression settings that are applied to inbound photos.
He has also used this to share movies to whatsapp groups, and files 1Gb+.
Like I said, I never used whatsapp, but I know 100% this isn’t a “brand new feature”, my brother literally showed me him doing it, like… 5 months ago?
Martin, what happened to those: 12 Comments (https://www.ghacks.net/chatgpt-gets-schooled-by-princeton-university/#comments). Is there a specific justifiable reason why they were deleted?
Hmm, it looks like the gHacks website database is faulty, and not populating threads with their relevant cosponsoring posts.
The page on ghacks this is on represents the best of why it has become so worthless, fill of click-bait junk that it’s about to be deleted from my ‘daily reads’.
It’s really like “Press Release as re-written by some d*ck for clicks…poorly.” And the subjects are laughable. Can’t wait for “How to search for files on Windows”.
> The page on ghacks this is on represents the best of why it has become so worthless, fill of click-bait junk…
Sadly, I have to agree.
Only Martin and Ashwin are worth subscribing to.
Especially Emre Çitak and Shaun are the worst ones.
If ghacks.net intended “Clickbait”, it would mark the end of Ghacks Technology News.
Ghacks doesn’t need crappy clickbaits. Clearly separate articles from newer authors (perhaps AIs and external sales person or external advertising man) as just “Advertisements”!
We, the subscribers of Ghacks, urge Martin to make a decision.
because nevermore wants to “monetize” on every aspect of human life…
“Threads” is like the Walmart of Social Media.
How hard can it be to clone a twitter version of that as well? They’re slow.
Yes, why not mention how large the HD files can be?
Why, not mention what version of WhatsApp is needed?
These omissions make the article feel so bare. If not complete.
Sorry posted on the wrong page.
such a long article for such a simple matter. Worthless article ! waste of time
I already do this by attaching them via the ‘Document’ option.
I don’t know what’s going on here at Ghacks but it’s obvious that something is broken, comments are being mixed whatever the article, I am unable to find some of my later posts neither. :S
Quoting the article,
“As users gain popularity, the value of their tokens may increase, allowing investors to reap rewards.”
Besides, beyond the thrill and privacy risks or not, the point is to know how you gain popularity, be it on social sites as everywhere in life. Is it by being authentic, by remaining faithful to ourselves or is it to have this particular skill which is to understand what a majority likes, just like politicians, those who’d deny to the maximum extent compatible with their ideological partnership, in order to grab as many of the voters they can?
I see the very concept of this Friend.tech as unhealthy, propagating what is already an increasing flaw : the quest for fame. I won’t be the only one to count himself out, definitely.
@John G. is right : my comment was posted on [https://www.ghacks.net/2023/08/23/what-is-friend-tech/] and it appears there but as well here at [https://www.ghacks.net/2023/07/08/how-to-follow-everyone-on-threads/]
This has been lasting for several days. Fix it or at least provide some explanations if you don’t mind.
> Google Chrome is following in Safari’s footsteps by introducing a new feature that allows users to move the Chrome address bar to the bottom of the screen, enhancing user accessibility and interaction.
Firefox did this long before Safari.
Basically they’ll do anything except fair royalties.