[Originalloverman]

Is there a way to get bb vkb on my iPhone. I tried the App Store but all I find was business apps, is there a package anywhere I can get ?

[Bbnivende]

No ... the VKB is only on BlackBerry phones.

[brookie229]

No ... the VKB is only on BlackBerry phones.

Not entirely true - I have it on my Huawei phone. So to the OP: It is not available for iOS but can be installed on most android devices.

[Ben xfg]

No ... the VKB is only on BlackBerry phones.

Not necessarily, you can put the BlackBerry VKB on pretty much any Android slab phone via Cobalts' BlackBerry Manager.
Can't answer the OP though about IOS, but I doubt it.

Posted via CB10

[Bbnivende]

Well OP was looking for an iPhone. Does not seem to know that the app is Android.

[the_boon]

What OP can get for his iPhone is a Typo PKB case lol

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

There was talk at one point of BlackBerry bringing their suite of apps to iOS... not sure if the KEYboard would have been part of that, as it's technically not even theirs. They license it from Microsoft, which is why it's technically only available on BlackBerry hardware... (but there is a hack for other Androids).

I used the hacked version of the whole suite... really loved it on my Droid. But later on a Samsung device it wasn't as good an experience, and last summer there were so issues after one update. I switch to Microsoft's suite of Apps and haven't looked back.

[Troy Tiscareno]

BB's VKB is more-or-less a skin on top of SwiftKey, with the "flick-up-to-complete" feature added. The engine and most features are SwiftKey, which MS purchased a few years ago.

Anyway, you CAN get SwiftKey for iOS, and that will get you most of the way there.

[JuiciPatties]

But isn't the "flick up to complete" feature one of the key features of the BB virtual keyboard. I actually love that feature. What other features are there that are being used from SwiftKey?

BB's VKB is more-or-less a skin on top of SwiftKey, with the "flick-up-to-complete" feature added. The engine and most features are SwiftKey, which MS purchased a few years ago.

Anyway, you CAN get SwiftKey for iOS, and that will get you most of the way there.

[joeldf]

But isn't the "flick up to complete" feature one of the key features of the BB virtual keyboard. I actually love that feature. What other features are there that are being used from SwiftKey?

Yes. The word flick feature is the only thing going for the BlackBerry vkb. Other than the gray frets (which could be a little lighter), the rest is pretty much all SwiftKey.

I still love it though. Works great on my Galaxy S9. Much better than the default keyboard or the regular SwiftKey (which I've tried).

[the_boon]

Yes. The word flick feature is the only thing going for the BlackBerry vkb. Other than the gray frets (which could be a little lighter), the rest is pretty much all SwiftKey.

I still love it though. Works great on my Galaxy S9. Much better than the default keyboard or the regular SwiftKey (which I've tried).

I think the frets should be chrome if the "show suggested words above letters" features is off.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

BB's VKB is more-or-less a skin on top of SwiftKey, with the "flick-up-to-complete" feature added. The engine and most features are SwiftKey, which MS purchased a few years ago.

Anyway, you CAN get SwiftKey for iOS, and that will get you most of the way there.

There are some rumors here that BlackBerry is building their own keyboard app. But it's that engine that drives the predictive text that makes the BlackBerry keyboard and it's flick to select so useful. For BlackBerry to create their own... without stepping on SwitfKey (and others) patents, would be very costly.

I expect BlackBerry could release a more basic keyboard product, and I can see them wanting to get out of the cost of the licensing. But in the end, what kind of user experience would it offer?

[Troy Tiscareno]

But isn't the "flick up to complete" feature one of the key features of the BB virtual keyboard. I actually love that feature. What other features are there that are being used from SwiftKey?

Yes, it was at one time a unique feature to BB, though I understand it's been copied elsewhere.

But the prediction engine, which is the most important part, IMO, is SwiftKey, plus SwiftKey has lots of skins and lots of other options to customize the keyboard layout to your preferences, including key size, arrows, color themes, and more.

Obviously it's not the full BB keyboard, but that simply isn't and isn't ever likely to be an option on iOS, so given that, SwiftKey for iOS is still MILES better than the stock iOS VKB, which I find to be awful.

[Bbnivende]

I am using SwiftKey right now on iOS. I guess it is marginally better. Personally, I think you get used to what you have. I do not find that much difference between keyboards or between Android and Apple. The predictive aspect might be a little better vs OEM.

Reviews of the Motion did not gush about the VKB except that they liked the flicking up autocorrect feature.

[joeldf]

Yes, it was at one time a unique feature to BB, though I understand it's been copied elsewhere.

I haven't heard that. Nothing I've found has that feature, but I'll admit I haven't looked at every vkb app out there.

[the_boon]

I wonder why BB doesn't try to make their VKB in a smiley shape like the BBOS devices.
If smiley shaped PKB proved to be the best, why wouldn't it be better for VKB as well?

I can't imagine it would cost too much to implement

[Bbnivende]

I wonder why BB doesn't try to make their VKB in a smiley shape like the BBOS devices.
If smiley shaped PKB proved to be the best, why wouldn't it be better for VKB as well?

I can't imagine it would cost too much to implement

Maybe if you had a virtual cursor control track pad and functional virtual buttons as found on the 9900.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

I wonder why BB doesn't try to make their VKB in a smiley shape like the BBOS devices.
If smiley shaped PKB proved to be the best, why wouldn't it be better for VKB as well?

I can't imagine it would cost too much to implement

What worked well with physical buttons where the screen was less than half the device, might not have the same results with virtual ones where even the camera can't find a home (on some devices).

Bottom line is it would force the space needed for the keyboard to expand up, or else the overall keys would need to get smaller.

That said the full SwiftKey keyboard has lots of options for resizing... if BlackBerry provided all these and allowed users to choose the option of a "smile" layout. It would give those that wanted it... that option.