14 DAY TRIAL // Swype has been one of the top keyboard apps for Android and iPhone, and only on Google’s mobile OS alone it recorded between 1 million and 5 million downloads.
But despite the popularity of the app, parent company Nuance Communications has decided to retire the app and no longer release updates, for a reason that hasn’t been disclosed just yet.
The company’s support services were the first ones to confirm that Swype is being discontinued, despite an official announcement in this regard missing.
“We are sad to announce that Swype+Dragon for Android has faced end of development. Here is a statement from Swype Product Team:
Nuance will no longer be updating the Swype+Dragon keyboard for Android. We’re sorry to leave the direct-to-consumer keyboard business, but this change is necessary to allow us to concentrate on developing our AI solutions for sale directly to businesses. We hope you enjoyed using Swype, we sure enjoyed working with the Swype community,” an email reads.
Lots of alternatives to choose from
XDA says the company has also confirmed that it’s giving up on its keyboard app, though once again little has been revealed on the reasoning behind this decision.
Even though the company abandons the app, this doesn’t mean necessarily that Swype would stop working anytime soon – though it’s worth noting that without updates and fixes, future Android releases could make it unsupported. The latest Swype update for Android was released on January 18 and included only minor fixes.
Users who’re looking for an alternative to Swype have plenty of keyboard apps to choose from, including the default ones that are getting better with every new release. On Android, Samsung’s own keyboard has evolved a lot lately, and the same for Gboard. For everyone else who just wants a third-party app can go for Microsoft’s own SwiftKey, which now comes with free themes and receives updates regularly on both Android and iOS.
