I bought the original iPhone on launch day, and have pretty much bought every other iPhone on launch day too. The original iPhone was so different than my other smartphones, especially when it came to the onscreen keyboard. I had previously used a multitude of phones including Palm Treos, BlackBerrys, Windows Mobile phones, and they all had hardware keyboards. The iPhone’s soft keyboard left a lot to be desired and I was frustrated to say the least. However, after using the iPhone for awhile, I eventually got pretty good at typing on it. I still made mistakes, but the error correction was good enough to cover my mistakes and I found myself typing quickly the iPhone.
I picked up an Android phone in 2010 and even though it had a larger display, I was again frustrated by typing on it. I could type much faster and accurately on the iPhone 4, and it seemed like Apple’s error correction was far better than Android’s. I decided that the iPhone 4 would continue to be my main smartphone based mainly on the eas of typing on the keyboard.
Last year I picked up an iPhone 5, and I’m again frustrated. Even after using it for about five months, I’m still frustrated when I type on it. I simply cannot type accurately on the iPhone 5 for some reason. At first I thought it was because screen calibration or something, but I’m on my third iPhone 5 (due to various technical issues with my first two iPhone 5’s) and the typing issues persist.
I even went back to my iPhone 4 for about a week, and it was like putting on an old shoe. It was a dream to type on and my typing was as solid as it ever was.
So what is it about the iPhone 5 that causes me so many typing headaches? I believe two things are responsible for the difference in my typing abilities on the 5. First of all, the thickness, or thinness, of the device is an issue. The way the phone sits in my hand changes the way my fingers behave. Imagine learning to play the piano, then trying to play a piano with keys that are half as tall as your regular piano. Your fingers would react differently and you would struggle to play as proficiently.
The weight distribution of the iPhone 5 is different than the 4 and I believe that’s another reason I’m having issues. The 5 is lighter and is top heavy, and front heavy. I can’t put my finger on exactly why this matters, but it does.
So what is the answer to my problems? There is no answer. I have not adapted well to typing on the iPhone 5 and although I like my iPhone, I’m getting seriously frustrated. Let’s just hope Apple will give us a larger option in the next iteration of the iPhone. Some people might like the tall, narrow, iPhone 5. I’m hoping for something a little larger with slightly bigger keyboard keys. Something between the iPhone 5 and the iPad Mini would be nice.
I picked up an Android phone in 2010 and even though it had a larger display, I was again frustrated by typing on it. I could type much faster and accurately on the iPhone 4, and it seemed like Apple’s error correction was far better than Android’s. I decided that the iPhone 4 would continue to be my main smartphone based mainly on the eas of typing on the keyboard.
Last year I picked up an iPhone 5, and I’m again frustrated. Even after using it for about five months, I’m still frustrated when I type on it. I simply cannot type accurately on the iPhone 5 for some reason. At first I thought it was because screen calibration or something, but I’m on my third iPhone 5 (due to various technical issues with my first two iPhone 5’s) and the typing issues persist.
I even went back to my iPhone 4 for about a week, and it was like putting on an old shoe. It was a dream to type on and my typing was as solid as it ever was.
So what is it about the iPhone 5 that causes me so many typing headaches? I believe two things are responsible for the difference in my typing abilities on the 5. First of all, the thickness, or thinness, of the device is an issue. The way the phone sits in my hand changes the way my fingers behave. Imagine learning to play the piano, then trying to play a piano with keys that are half as tall as your regular piano. Your fingers would react differently and you would struggle to play as proficiently.
The weight distribution of the iPhone 5 is different than the 4 and I believe that’s another reason I’m having issues. The 5 is lighter and is top heavy, and front heavy. I can’t put my finger on exactly why this matters, but it does.
So what is the answer to my problems? There is no answer. I have not adapted well to typing on the iPhone 5 and although I like my iPhone, I’m getting seriously frustrated. Let’s just hope Apple will give us a larger option in the next iteration of the iPhone. Some people might like the tall, narrow, iPhone 5. I’m hoping for something a little larger with slightly bigger keyboard keys. Something between the iPhone 5 and the iPad Mini would be nice.