Many will be surprised to learn they've been typing away on their iPhones in a way that's potentially far slower and less comfortable than it could be, having had no idea whatsoever about another, hidden keyboard. The Dvorak keyboard option, which was introduced to iPhone natively for the very first time with the latest iOS 16 update, may take some getting used to but could be well worth a go after a bit of practice.
Patented in 1936 by educational psychologist August Dvorak, the layout is intended to be an alternative to the QWERTY keyboard layout so many of us are used to. Those in favour of it like how it reduces finger motion by positioning all vowels in the centre row on the keyboard's left side, while common consonants such as R, S, T, N, and L are put on the right side.
This layout might not be to everyone's taste, as it's intended to be used with all ten of your fingers. The idea here is to share the tapping out between your digits, which may seem like an alien concept to modern phone users who typically rely mainly on their two thumbs. Those who persist, however, are said to be rewarded with greater comfort and speed in the long run.
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, who learned how to use the Dvorak keyboard back in 1993, told Ars Technica: "I was on a flight to Tokyo and I ran Mavis Beacon teaches typing in Dvorak mode. I spent five hours learning it and never again looked at a QWERTY keyboard. That’s all it took."
Wozniak was particularly keen on 'the feeling of using less energy with your fingers' that he experienced when using a Dvorak keyboard, which he says his son also mastered very quickly.
Any iPhone users who fancy giving this a go should first ensure they've upgraded to iOS 16 or later before opening up Settings and then General. From there, they should tap Keyboard, then Keyboards, before selecting their language and picking 'Dvorak' from the available list of options.
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