Fleksy is a third-party, proprietary virtual keyboard app for Android and iOS devices. It attempts to improve traditional typing speed and accuracy through enhanced auto-correction and gesture controls. Fleksy uses error-correcting algorithms that analyze the region where the user touches the keyboard and feeds this through a language model, which calculates and identifies the intended word. Swiping gestures are used to control common functions, such as space, delete, and word correction. Fleksy is available in 49 languages. Fleksy holds the Guinness world records for fastest keyboard. Fleksy has introduced Fleksyapps, which are mini-programs and Fleksynext, its Smart Assistant that utilizes artificial intelligence capable of understanding intent, sentiment and context while typing. Fleksyapps brings services and content such as restaurants, music, GIFs, videos and more, inside the keyboard, reducing the need for smartphone users to switch between apps. With ‘on device profiling’ capable of mapping behaviors across any app, users' data is anonymous and remains private.
History
Fleksy was developed by Fleksy Inc., a company founded in 2011. It was originally developed for the blind and visually impaired to enable typing through muscle memory. In July 2012 Fleksy becomes commercially available on the iPhone as a download from Apple's iOS App Store. On June 15, 2016, Fleksy announced that the team had moved on to Pinterest. In July 2017, Thingthing Ltd., a competing keyboard company, acquired Fleksy and resumed its development. In 2018, the Fleksy keyboard was fully acquired by Thingthing Ltd. and given a major upgrade - the first upgrade in almost a year. Summer of 2018 Fleksy opens a seed crowdfunding campaign on Crowdcube. October 2018 Fleksy partners with Palm and is preinstalled as the default keyboard on all Palm devices. In 2019 Fleksy introduces Fleksyapps "mini app programs." Shortly afterwards, Fleksy releases its smart assistant, Fleksynext. In October 2019, Fleksy was initially forced to raise the rating of its keyboard app to PEGI12 rating on Google Play compared to PEGI 3 carried by Gboard, Google's own app. This rating was subsequently restored after the company contacted the International Age Rating Coalition.
Software
Fleksy’s auto-correct algorithm functions by combining analysis of user typing patterns and linguistic context. Analysis of tap locations affords it the ability to remain tolerant of drifting errors and allows the user to type on an invisible keyboard or even off the keyboard in some instances. As a result, Fleksy has been embraced by the visually-impaired community. Most notably, the software has been considered for the "Story of the Year" of the Technology Year in Review for 2012 by the American Foundation for the Blind. There is evidence that the software could potentially allow sighted people to blind-type on a touchscreen. Quentin Stafford-Fraser said on his website: "I found I could type whole sentences immediately, without looking at the keyboard". Fleksy not only offers next word predictions, as found in competitors such as Gboard, SwiftKey and other keyboards, but also offers Fleksynext Smart Assistant, which is unique in the keyboard space. For the first time ever, emojis are suggested contextually. Fleksy also utilizes a gesture-based interface that can be used for some common functions, such as deleting a word, space, backspace, and choosing a word correction.
Availability
Fleksy is available in 50 languages and QWERTY, AZERTY, QWERTZ, Dvorak, and Colemak layouts on Android and iOS. Download on Google Play, or on the iOS App Store.
Awards
Fleksy has received a number of awards since its release in July 2012:
