SwiftKey, which has been popular for making one of the smartest if not the smartest keyboard on Android and iOS platforms. SwiftKey is keyboard which uses an Artificial Intelligence based neural network to predict what smartphone users are going to type next. The keyboard is able to predict up to 3 words which are user wants to type or swpe.
Today, Microsoft has confirmed the acquisition of the SwiftKey. Microsoft states that the intention of the acquision was the artificial intelligence prowess that the SwiftKey has. Microsoft intends to use this technology to improve its WordFlow technology that is featured in the WordFlow keyboard on Windows Phone and iOS.
The acquisition cost Microsoft $250 million and was confirmed by blog posts on the both the SwiftKey and Microsoft blog. For those worried about the future of SwiftKey, Microsoft’s executive vice president of technology and research Harry Shum said:
We’ll continue to develop SwiftKey’s market-leading keyboard apps for Android and iOS as well as explore scenarios for the integration of the core technology across the breadth of our product and services portfolio. Moreover, SwiftKey’s predictive technology aligns with Microsoft’s investments and ambition to develop intelligent systems that can work more on the user’s behalf and under their control.
In the coming months, we’ll have more to share about how we’ll integrate SwiftKey technology with our Guinness World Record Word Flow technology for Windows.
