At a time when bigwig device manufacturers are still to update their available devices to the latest Android 4.0 ‘Ice Cream Sandwich’ (ICS) version, Nuance has become one of very few small app developers to update its app – Swype – to work on the ICS; though the app is presently in beta stages for the newest Android version.
The Android ICS was announced by Google in October, and the company released the code to its manufacturer partners in November. However, thus far, only one smartphone - the Galaxy Nexus - is shipped with the latest Android iteration on board.
But, Nuance has optimized its Swype keyboard – which is one of the most popular substitutes for the default keyboard – for the Android ICS; and the app has been updated to work with Android ICS even in terms of user control and ergonomics.
Swype is a highly intuitive popular third-party software keyboard, which has helped set a world record for texting. The app – for which constant upgrading is extremely essential - also includes a ‘word suggestion’ feature for users who, rather than finishing a complete word themselves, like to tap on a word after having typed in just a few letters.
As such, Nuance’s Swype app makes use of the ‘word prediction’ feature in tandem with the swiping motions; thus enabling the users to quickly frame text inputs, including emails, text messages, tweets and other written texts. The app, however, is currently not available in the Android Market, and has to be downloaded from the Nuance website.