Popular Android keyboard app Fleksy is now headed to the much smaller screen of the Samsung Gear 2 smartwatch. Fleksy is the first third-party keyboard app to appear on it. The company claims that its quick typing software, ability to predict word choice, and simple interface make Fleksy the ideal keyboard for the small, 1.63-inch smartwatch display.
Fleksy’s goal is to make it as easy as possible to type on the Gear 2. Right now, many people are skeptical about the practicality of smartwatches, especially when it comes to composing messages. After all, if typing on the iPhone 5S’ 4-inch display is sometimes difficult, it must be near impossible to tap away on a display that’s nearly four times smaller. Where many would see an insurmountable challenge, Fleksy’s co-founder and COO, Ioannis Verdelis, saw opportunity.
This bite-sized version of Fleksy features the same minimalistic design as the normal-sized version seen on Android smartphones.
“When the first iPhone came out, people were skeptical about whether they could type on glass,” Verdelis told Digital Trends. “Today, the same applies to smartwatches, and we’re very proud to show Fleksy’s next-generation technology challenging these assumptions and creating new use cases for wearable technology. Especially happy to be working with Samsung to showcase this on the Gear 2.”
The keyboard appears in a new messenger app made specifically for Gear 2, which allows users to type and send SMS messages right from the smartwatch on their wrists. The Fleksy app syncs all the conversations sent with either your Galaxy smartphone or Gear 2 smartwatch, so your conversations are never lost. Old message threads and contacts also transfer from your smartphone to the app on Gear.
This bite-sized version of Fleksy features the same minimalistic design as the normal-sized version seen on Android phones. The layout is very simple with just the letters and nothing else to clutter up the small screen. The keyboard is flat and black, with no barriers between the keys, adding to the impression of open space. All the letters are positioned in typical QWERTY style and written in white font. The only two characters on the keyboard that aren’t letters are the hashtag and @ symbol, which serve as gateways to numbers and special characters. When you type your message, it appears in a white field on the top left of the display. To the right, are the send and back buttons.
Because it’s a Tizen app, the Fleksy Messenger app is available for a free download now from Samsung’s app store. It’s unclear whether Fleksy aims to add its keyboard app to Android-based smartwatches, such as the upcoming Moto 360 and LG G Watch, but it seems likely. After all, the company’s press release did say that “this is one of the first steps in the direction of enabling Fleksy on all smart devices—regardless of their size, shape, and form factor.” Kosta Eleftheriou, the founder and CEO of Fleksy, also said in the release that he hopes to see the keyboard on all devices in the future.
