iPhone, iPad, iPod Forums at iMore.com

[HymerSchmidt]

I've been thinking about this. It'd be cool if they designed one that could be separated from the device(if you only need the virtual keyboard), yet attach to the back via magnets(if you need a physical one).

The keyboard could communicate through bluetooth. And since it is attached with magnets, it could have a really minimalist design and basically take any shape, not compromising the design of the phone, conforming to whatever design the phone has but adding only a little thickness. Also, with internal magnets of varying strength, this keyboard could slide out like on other phones, but not require all the design compromises to achieve the functionality.

The only problem is negating the magnets power over cellular signals. I don't doubt it could be done though.

I think if there is a future keyboard for an iPhone, it'll be like this, or be a larger, still virtual, projected keyboard.

[iphonefans]

Very possible, i would love to get one when it out., but make sure the keyboard size is small as well

[Jeremy Sikora]

I have a feeling that you will never see a keyboard on a iPhone... Steve Jobs has taken a ton of jabs at "other" devices with plastic keyboards and his dislikes for them. And I agree with him. If it ain't broke... don't fix it. And if you really do need a keyboard then a iPhone may not be for you.

[avt]

Originally Posted by Bad Ash

And if you really do need a keyboard then a iPhone may not be for you.

Exactly.

[MrEClass]

I 3rd that? lol

If you want old technology then go back to a BB or some other device with a keyboard.

Apple and the iPhone are innovative technologies and touchscreen is the new black for phones!

Asking for a keyboard on an iPhone is like asking for training wheels on a street motorcycle....why?!

[Tunnelrunner]

Hm...interesting.

I came from a Treo 700p, and one of my big reservations for switching over to the iphone was the loss of a tactile QWERTY keyboard (I made the jump on 3G launch day 7/11) and IIRC, I even posted some reservations about it on treocentral...well, it's been almost 3 months later, and I've never looked back.

I've pretty adapted to the touchscreen. I used to wish that future iphones would include a pull out QWERTY keyboard (like the Instinct), but now, I think like that might ruin the "eleganant design" of the iphone. :shrugs: YMMV.

However, if they wanted to develop an EXTERNAL add-on keyboard as proposed by the original poster, that wouldn't bother me,
Brent

[charlie]

I love this keyboard. Coming from a BlackBerry I was worried that I wouldn't like it. But right away it became one of my (many) favorite features of my iPhone. Hope they don't change it.

[Rene Ritchie]

I was a Treo user going back to the 600 and always hated the keyboard. My fingers are too mushy and I needed to push to hard. iPhone keyboard for me is super easy and much better.

However, I have a couple of Apple BT keyboards, and I'd *really* like a simple BT connection option for those babies.

Sure, some senior editors might find them a tad big and non-portable, but it'd be groovy for a start!

[apple is yummy]

Weeeel... I've seen one on Youtube... You just have to really look for it.

[JackSchitt]

I thought that I would have issues with the touch screen keyboard as well. I came from WM devices with keyboards and despised the HTC Touch when it came because of the lack of a real keyboard, but since I have used my iPhone for a while I really don't miss any of those devices.