Apple Opens iOS to Third Party Keyboards… How About BlackBerry 10?

Apple iOS keyboard Swiftkey

One of the things I have been asking BlackBerry product managers to do for years is allow third party developers to create alternative keyboards for full touch BlackBerry devices. BlackBerry is already leaning on SwiftKey’s word prediction technology in the native BlackBerry 10 keyboard but I know quite a few of you are craving gesture typing. Keyboards like Swype and SwiftKey have been making a splash on Android for awhile with their easy gesture keyboards. BlackBerry 10’s keyboard is pretty sweet but I always vote for more options.

Apple made a huge announcement today by opening up iOS 8.0 to third party keyboards like Swype and SwiftKey. With Apple being the ultimate walled garden it is unusual to learn that iOS users will have more options than BlackBerry users for a key feature. For physical keyboard devices this will not make much of a difference but many times I wish I could gesture type on my Z30 without having to flick up words.

What do you think? Will BlackBerry open up the keyboard on BlackBerry 10 to third party options? Or better yet will BlackBerry build in a gesture typing option beyond word flicking? Let us know what you think!

PS: What do you guys think of Apple copying BlackBerry’s “Quick Reply” on iOS 8.0?

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