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Fleksy

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Fleksy
Original author(s)Thingthing Ltd.
Initial releaseDecember 2012
Operating systemiOS
Android
Linux
Unity
TypeVirtual keyboard
Predictive Keyboard
In-App Keyboard
LicenseProprietary
Websitewww.fleksy.com

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 has introduced Fleksyapps,[1] which are mini-programs and Fleksynext,[2] its Smart Assistant that utilizes artificial intelligence capable of understanding intent, sentiment and context while typing.[3]

Fleksy's mission is to democratize access to language input technologies through their suite of SDKs: Virtual Keyboard SDK, Predictive Text SDK, In-App Keyboard SDK. In June 2023, Fleksy has shared their latest Unity OpenXR-based Predictive Keyboard SDK.

History

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Fleksy was developed by Fleksy Inc., a company founded in 2011.[4] It was originally developed for the blind and visually impaired to enable typing through muscle memory.[5]

In July 2012, Fleksy became commercially available on the iPhone as a download from Apple's iOS App Store.[6] On June 15, 2016, the company moved on to Pinterest.[7]

In July 2017, Thingthing Ltd., a competing keyboard company, acquired Fleksy and resumed its development.[8] In 2018, the Fleksy keyboard was acquired by Thingthing Ltd., and given an upgrade.

In summer of 2018, Fleksy opened a seed crowdfunding campaign on Crowdcube.[9] In October 2018, Fleksy partnered with Palm and was preinstalled as the default keyboard on all Palm devices.[10]

In 2019, Fleksy introduced Fleksyapps "mini app programs."[11] Afterwards, Fleksy releases its smart assistant, Fleksynext.[2] In October 2019, Fleksy was forced to raise the rating of its keyboard app to PEGI 12 rating on Google Play compared to PEGI 3 carried by Gboard, Google's own app. This rating was restored after the company contacted the International Age Rating Coalition.[12] Google refrained to comment.

In 2019, Fleksy became the first keyboard used for Passive Digital Phenotyping in the Healthcare space.

In May 2020, Fleksy completes its pivot towards B2B as its gaining traction in the market, launching its Software Development Kit (SDK) and taking on clients in Healthcare, Productivity, Generative AI, Augmented Reality, Advertising, Banking and many more.

In February 2021, Fleksy expanded its SDK across 7 verticals. In October 2021, Fleksy announced it has raised a Series A from Inveready to support the growth of its B2B business, helping clients in various industries leverage its input method technologies.

In August 2022, it officially expands into DevTool territory with the launch of its Developer Platform and Integration Documentation, making it easier than ever for software developers globally to test and build their own virtual keyboard.[13]

In January 2023, Fleksy adds an additional 11 verticals, totalizing 18 verticals served.[14]

In February 2024, the company expands officially into Field Mobility (Logistics) and Cybersecurity after winning a prestigious grant from Innovate UK to Combat Financial Fraud on Mobile.[15]

Software

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Fleksy’s auto-correct algorithm functions by combining analysis of user typing patterns and linguistic context. Analysis of tap locations (rather than letters selected) 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.[16] As a result, Fleksy has been embraced by the visually-impaired community.[17][18][19][20] 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.[5]

Fleksy allows sighted people to blind-type on a touchscreen.[21] Quentin Stafford-Fraser said on his website: "I found I could type whole sentences immediately, without looking at the keyboard".[21]

Availability

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Fleksy is available in 82 languages[22] and QWERTY, AZERTY, QWERTZ, Dvorak, and Colemak layouts on Android and iOS. The Fleksy SDK provides autocorrection, next word prediction and swipe input.

Awards

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Fleksy has received a number of awards since its release in July 2012:

References

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  1. ^ Fleksy (2019-02-12). "Tired of switching between apps?". Medium.
  2. ^ a b Fleksy (2019-04-29). "How We Built a Privacy-Focused AI". Medium.
  3. ^ "Fleksy's AI keyboard is getting a store to put mini apps at chatters' fingertips". TechCrunch. 2019-04-03.
  4. ^ "Fleksy", fleksy.com, Retrieved on 7 February 2013.
  5. ^ a b "2012: A Technology Year in Review" AFB AccessWorld, Retrieved 7 February 2013.
  6. ^ "Fleksy - Happy Typing" iOS App Store. Retrieved on 7 February 2013.
  7. ^ "Fleksy Acquired by Pinterest". fleksy.com. Archived from the original on 2016-09-20. Retrieved 2016-06-15.
  8. ^ "Fleksy gets major robot under ThingThing". TechCrunch. 2017-07-25.
  9. ^ "Fleksy Keyboard is raising £230,000 investment on Crowdcube. Capital At Risk". Crowdcube. Archived from the original on 2021-03-05. Retrieved 2019-06-11.
  10. ^ "Fleksy's keyboard grabs $800k+ via equity crowdfunding". TechCrunch. 2018-10-25.
  11. ^ Fleksy (2019-02-12). "Tired of switching between apps?". Medium.
  12. ^ "Google's Play Store is giving an age-rating finger to Fleksy, a Gboard rival 🖕". TechCrunch. 23 October 2019. Retrieved 2019-10-27.
  13. ^ Lomas, Natasha (2022-08-30). "Fleksy targets devs with SDK platform for smart keyboard features". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  14. ^ "Notion – The all-in-one workspace for your notes, tasks, wikis, and databases". Notion. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  15. ^ Plante, Olivier (2024-01-03). "Blog - Fleksy Granted Innovate UK Funding to Combat Financial Fraud on Mobile". Fleksy. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  16. ^ "Hacker News" news.ycombinator.com, Retrieved on 23 August 2012.
  17. ^ "An App for Wayward Fingers and Thumbs: An Evaluation of the Fleksy App from Syntellia" AFB AccessWorld, Retrieved 7 February 2013.
  18. ^ "Fleksy Gives Blind iOS Users Top-Speed Typing Access" Archived 2013-01-15 at the Wayback Machine About.com, Retrieved 7 February 2013.
  19. ^ "Mistype Every Letter & Fleksy Still Knows What Keys You Meant" Archived 2013-01-14 at the Wayback Machine About.com, Retrieved 7 February 2013.
  20. ^ "Fleksy app: Helping you to type faster" Archived 2013-12-06 at the Wayback Machine Royal National Institute for the Blind, Retrieved 7 February 2013.
  21. ^ a b "Being Accessible | Status-Q". Retrieved 2022-10-31.
  22. ^ Fleksy. "What languages does Fleksy support?". Zendesk.
  23. ^ "Fastest touch-screen text message record officially broken with Fleksy keyboard". Guinness World Records. 2014-05-19.
  24. ^ " SXSW, Retrieved 30 March 2013.
  25. ^ "Fleksy typing app gets main stream recognition in the Apple Australian App Store" [sic] Vision Australia, Retrieved 7 February 2013.
  26. ^ "CES Innovation Awards" Archived 2013-02-09 at the Wayback Machine CES, Retrieved 7 February 2013.
  27. ^ "Qualcomm Press Release" Qualcomm, Retrieved 7 February 2013.
  28. ^ "Fleksy - App of the Month August 2012" Archived 2012-09-17 at the Wayback Machine Royal National Institute of the Blind, Retrieved 7 February 2013.
  29. ^ "Announcing the AppleVis Golden Apples of 2012" AppleVis, Retrieved 7 February 2013.
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