SwiftKey Chinese officially launches on Android

Hi everyone,

SwiftKey输入法现在正式支持中文输入了！

Following a successful beta test with Chinese-speaking users, SwiftKey Keyboard for Android now supports Chinese. We’re delighted to add this beautiful language to our free typing app.

DOWNLOAD OR UPDATE SWIFTKEY KEYBOARD HERE

We’re introducing comprehensive coverage in one go, with seven new input methods to give you a choice no matter how you like to type.

Update or download SwiftKey Keyboard for Android today to enjoy:

Simplified Chinese

• QWERTY Pinyin input method
• 12-Key Pinyin input method
• Stroke input method

Taiwan Traditional Chinese

• Full Key Zhuyin (Bopomofo) input method
• 12-Key Zhuyin (Bopomofo) input method
• Stroke input method

Hong Kong Traditional Chinese

• Cangjie input method
• Quick Cangjie input method
• Stroke input method

Smart sentence typing, best typo correction

SwiftKey helps you to write full sentences in a faster, easier way. Our market-leading correction means any sloppy mistakes are seamlessly sorted. We know how frustrating it is when you’re typing in Pinyin and any tiny mistakes lead to annoying errors when it’s converted into Chinese script. SwiftKey solves this by continually learning how you interact with the keyboard and adjusting. This is what we call the SwiftKey Heatmap – see yours by visiting the app Settings.

Write entire sentences in Pinyin and the app will understand what you want to say – even if you use a word it hasn’t seen before. As some Pinyin sequences can represent multiple Chinese characters, SwiftKey will learn from you to predict the word that’s most suited to you. Using my own name, Zhengyu Chen, as an example, if I type “我叫陈峥宇” as a complete sentence, SwiftKey will learn “陈峥宇“ as a new word. Next time, if I type “chenzhengyu” or “czy” it will predict “陈峥宇”.

Faster, easier typing with learning and prediction

As you’d expect, SwiftKey Chinese support comes with the learning and prediction we’re known for. The keyboard learns from you and understands the context of what you’re writing, accurately predicting your next word. Supercharge SwiftKey’s learning by personalizing from your social media accounts such as Gmail.

New Theme for Chinese New Year

To wish you a happy New Year, we’ve added a special free theme. You can change the color of your keyboard by heading to the SwiftKey Store – press and hold the SwiftKey logo in the bottom left of the keypad (or find SwiftKey in your app drawer and select Themes) to discover free and premium themes including our vibrant new design for Chinese New Year.

Theme designer Baoqing Hu took her inspiration from the Chinese pavilion at the 2010 Shanghai Expo, choosing a red design with a Xiangyun pattern, a motif which means ‘auspicious cloud’ and is often seen in fabrics, architecture and jewelry. The key outlines are royal blue, a nod to the columns and beams of ancient Chinese palaces. Carp jumping over the Dragon Gate are featured in the key popups – a double reference to the legend handed down through the generations and the character “魚” which means both fish as well as remaining rich and prosperous.

 

This latest update, SwiftKey 5.2, also introduces two other new languages: Khmer and Lao. We’re delighted to welcome speakers of these languages to SwiftKey! You’ll also enjoy Store optimizations and bug fixes. For a full change log head to SwiftKey VIP, our discussion forum.

This release builds on performance improvements rolled out at the end of last year, speeding up the keyboard response time.

Thanks and 祝大家新春快乐、年年有余！
Zhengyu Chen, Senior Product Manager