Microsoft acquires UK-based SwiftKey for $250 million

[HEXUS]

SwiftKey is a very popular AI-powered predictive keyboard app on mobile devices.

Read more.

[Biscuit]

*Tinfoil hat time*

I'm going to predict that Microsoft start farming data from text input on android phones.

[arrakis.oasis]

*Tinfoil hat time*

I'm going to predict that Microsoft start farming data from text input on android phones.

That is quite the tinfoil, especially since Google is the one that makes almost all of its revenue from ads/data-farming.

[Biscuit]

That is quite the tinfoil, especially since Google is the one that makes almost all of its revenue from ads/data-farming.

Microsoft have gone in the exact same direction with Windows 10

[crossy]

Microsoft will acquire UK-based SwiftKey, says a report published by The Financial Times (FT).

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooo.....

SwiftKey is installed on approximately 300 million smartphones and tablets (including my mobile).

And most of mine too.

[kalniel]

*Tinfoil hat time*

I'm going to predict that Microsoft start farming data from text input on android phones.

You can switch to google keyboard if you prefer them to mine it instead

[Biscuit]

You can switch to google keyboard if you prefer them to mine it instead

At least it would be a 'google-powered' device being snooped on by google

In all seriousness I'm not suggesting Microsoft is a different kind of evil, its just a prediction based on the change in direction we have seen in other areas with Microsoft.

[shaithis]

I do wonder if this is to leverage data-mining or to remove it from the apple store....I don't see much other mileage they could get from a $250m acquisition...

[LSG501]

I do wonder if this is to leverage data-mining or to remove it from the apple store....

with the way Nadella seems to be totally ignoring windows phone and putting everything out there on apple and then google at the expense of their own os often not getting it till later if at all (which is just stupid) I can't see that happening.

[Tekkul88]

Really not sure what they propose to do with it to be honest.

Maybe in built SwiftKey on future Microsoft devices?

[Biscuit]

Really not sure what they propose to do with it to be honest.

Maybe in built SwiftKey on future Microsoft devices?

I imaging they will be planning some kind of improvements to their OSK implementations. I think its pretty good on the surface though.

[deejayburnout]

That's a bit of a head scratcher.

That's a lot of cheddar for a keyboard. Has to be data mining of some sort.

watch this, it will become cortana keyboard or something.

[DevDrake]

*Tinfoil hat time*

I'm going to predict that Microsoft start farming data from text input on android phones.

It is quiet weird comments asthe SwiftKey was already farming the data. The difference is, you did not know the final customer, now you will.

[Biscuit]

It is quiet weird comments asthe SwiftKey was already farming the data. The difference is, you did not know the final customer, now you will.

So why is it weird?