William Gallagher
Microsoft has confirmed that it is to remove its typing app SwiftKey from the App Store on October 5, 2022, though existing owners can continue to use it for now.
Microsoft SwiftKey is a typing app, installed as an iOS keyboard, which lets users type by swiping over the glass instead of picking out individual letters. It interprets from where a user swipes, what word they most likely want to write, and it inserts that word for them.
It's not the only third-party iPhone keyboard to provide this service, and it's also not the only one to be scrapped. The reasons for both Microsoft's SwiftKey and Kosta Eleftheriou's FlickType being abandoned must include the fact that Apple now provides a similar feature.
Apple's version is called QuickPath, and it has been available since iOS 13 in 2019. Microsoft acquired SwiftKey app in 2016, but according to ZDNet, it is now removing it from the App Store.
"As of October 5, support for SwiftKey iOS will end and it will be delisted from the Apple App Store," a spokesperson told the publication. "For those customers who have SwiftKey installed on iOS, it will continue to work until it is manually uninstalled or a user gets a new device."
Microsoft's spokesperson also directed users to a support page, but currently that page has no more details. It does not clarify the issue about when "a user gets a new device."
It's most likely that if a user migrates their data to the new device, that they will continue to have the app. But it isn't confirmed.
Microsoft will continue to support SwiftKey on Android.
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3 Comments
I wonder if a user uses iMazing to transfer their data and Apps, if the App would keep working, or if it has to be re-authenticated by App Store to work? I suspect re-authentication is needed. Although meybe the App Store would re-authenticate unless Microsoft has a say in it. I’ll try it this eeekend. I haven’t used iMazing in a number of years, since migration is so convenient with downloading of Apps overnight from App Store.
In case your not familiar with iMazing, it’s very useful for doing things like saving voicemails and particular data you don’t normally get to offload. I’ve had voicemails with verbal contract approvals I wanted to save separately for good reason. Check it out. It does much more that might surprise you. It’s amazing.
Too bad. It’s actually main keyboard.