How to Split a Smartphone Keyboard with a Gesture

Apple's 2013 patent describes how to split a phone's keyboard in half and move it up the screen with a swipe, making it easier to type with thumbs.

What it covers

This patent covers a method and device for changing a full keyboard on a smartphone screen into a split keyboard. When you're using your phone, it shows a regular, unsplit keyboard at the bottom of the screen, along with your app's content. If you make a specific gesture, like a swipe, on the screen, the device turns that keyboard into a split one, with keys for your left thumb on the left and keys for your right thumb on the right. This split keyboard then moves up over the app content. The patent also covers the reverse: swiping the split keyboard back down to make it a full, unsplit keyboard again at the bottom.

What it doesn't cover

• —Keyboards that are split by default without a gesture.
• —Splitting a keyboard without moving it over the application content area.
• —Methods that do not involve converting an unsplit keyboard to a split keyboard.
• —Methods that do not involve converting a split keyboard to an unsplit keyboard.
• —Gestures that do not result in the keyboard moving away from the bottom of the display.

The clever bit

The innovation lies in the dynamic conversion and repositioning of the keyboard based on a simple gesture, specifically designed to facilitate thumb typing on larger displays without permanently obscuring application content.

Why it matters

This patent is significant because it addresses a common usability challenge on larger smartphone screens. The split keyboard design, enabled by this patent, allows users to more comfortably type with both thumbs, a crucial feature for many users. It became a standard feature on many devices.

Real-world examples

• 1.iPhone split keyboard feature
• 2.iPad split keyboard feature