Study Says iPhone Touch Screen Doesn't Improve Typing

[AZA43]

Chicago-based User Centric, a usability consultancy, evaluated iPhone use by 20 mobile phone users, and concluded that the Apple iPhone's touch screen does not improve users' typing efficiency. I take issue with the research--and I want your input.

After all, you guys/gals are the real iPhone users right? Not some random folks the company found on Craigslist.

Check it out:

http://advice.cio.com/al_sacco/study_apple_iphone_touch_screen_doesnt_improve_typing_efficiency_at_first

 

[greenjbhsd]

Furthermore, to call this experiment a study is really pushing it. It included only 20 participants, half of which regularly used handsets with full QWERTY keyboards and half who used traditional numeric keypads and the "multitap" text entry method. None of the respondents had ever used an iPhone before and they were given 60 seconds with the device before participating in one-hour testing sessions, which consisted of typing 12 specific messages.

This right here is what invalidates the entire thing for me, beyond just the fact that it was only 20 people. Not to defend Apple, but I don't recall any advertising that said you would instantly be great at typing with this the moment you pick it up. They are comparing what people used normally to something foreign. Do a baseline on what they are used to with messages they generate on their own. Come back after 3 months of use on the iPhone and repeat the study. It would also be a good idea to determine what the actual sample size needs to be to have a statistically valid study with a defined study accuracy.

None the less, still interesting that someone is trying to do this comparison.

 

[AZA43]

20 Respondents?

I totally agree. I mean, seriously, 20 people? And it takes anyone a while to get used to a new keyboard...this study is just silly.

AZA

 

[ps49556n]

First, that font you use makes my eyes hurt a great deal when I read your post...



I read the results of the study in detail from the firm's website and the results are not surprising...the study took QWERTY phone users who had never used an iPhone before and compared the two results. The obvious result was a 2x typing speed of QWERTY phones over iPhones. They go on to admit that if they did the same test (which they plan on doing in the future) with experienced iPhone users, the results may show iPhones users are more efficient than QWERTY.


In my own experience I love the multitouch screen, and I can type quite fast on it....but, it still is not as fast as a traditional qwerty keyboard. Still, the difference is not an issue for me.

 

[AZA43]

Actually, the company compared QWERTY phone users AND numeric keyboard users. Somehow they found that the QWERTY users couldn't type as fast on an iPhone but numeric keyboard users could...that's just strange. I can type infinitely more fast with a QWERTY keyboard than a numeric key pad...

 

[ps49556n]

Actually, the company compared QWERTY phone users AND numeric keyboard users. Somehow they found that the QWERTY couldn't type as fast on an iPhone but numeric keyboard users could...that's just strange. I can type infinitely more fast with a QWERTY keyboard than a numeric key pad...

strange how?...of course you type faster with a QWERTY keyboard instead of numeric...the main point of the experiment was to show that novice iPhone users will type slower on an iPhone compared to their QWERTY device,

 

[AZA43]

strange how?...of course you type faster with a QWERTY keyboard instead of numeric...the main point of the experiment was to show that novice iPhone users will type slower on an iPhone compared to their QWERTY device,

Regardless of what you think the main point of the study was, it is strange that 10 numeric keyboard users could type faster on an iPhone that QWERTY users could. Is it not? You admit yourself that "of course" I can type faster on a QWERTY device than one with a numeric keyboard. So why can't the QWERTY users type faster than numeric keypad users on the iPhone?

Also, novice users of any device will type slower on a new device than one they're familiar with. That's why the study is silly...

 

[chatter]

strange how?...of course you type faster with a QWERTY keyboard instead of numeric...the main point of the experiment was to show that novice iPhone users will type slower on an iPhone compared to their QWERTY device,

I'm a BIG emailer on phones and used the iPhone for three weeks exclusively; there's no question that, for me, a regular keyboard is significantly faster to use (largely due to issues with the shift key and non-alphanumberic characters; also, correcting mistakes take significantly longer on the iPhone if the auto-correct fails, which it does regularly - correcting to a real word, but not the one I meant!). I would estimate that I can type 50-100% faster on the keyboard, depending on the content.

All in all, though, the virtual keyboard was far better than I had expected.

Marc

 

[monkeysrock0622]

This right here is what invalidates the entire thing for me, beyond just the fact that it was only 20 people. Not to defend Apple, but I don't recall any advertising that said you would instantly be great at typing with this the moment you pick it up. They are comparing what people used normally to something foreign. Do a baseline on what they are used to with messages they generate on their own. Come back after 3 months of use on the iPhone and repeat the study. It would also be a good idea to determine what the actual sample size needs to be to have a statistically valid study with a defined study accuracy.

None the less, still interesting that someone is trying to do this comparison.

exactly! and if they had seen the video where the guy teaches you how to use some of the features on your iPhone (im refering to the one on Apples website with the guy in the glasses) they would have seen that Apple themselves say that it will take a little time to get fully ajusted to the keyboard and at first they suggest that you use one index finger then move on to two thumbs. i myself just use one thumb when txting and i am just as fast as the guy in the video was getting.

 

[JiggyMatt]

yah this claim just doesn't hold water.

 

[Redfor]

Well.. Me personally to have a true study on this I think you would need people that have never used Either type. Give them one phone for a week, then change phones on them a week later. then ask them..
If you're used to typing on one device, and switch to a different device... naturally you will be a lot faster on the one you are used to.

 

[asuandy]

I don't think Apple set out to improve anyone's typing with the iPhone Keyboard. As noted in the keynote, it allows a flexibility not possible with a physical keyboard. This is evident in how the keyboard adapts and changes in Safari. The learning curve is somewhat steep in my opinion, but once you just "get it", the keyboard is plenty adequate.

 

[Mactech]

I don't think so...

I actually like the the iPhone keyboard. I can type faster on my iPhone than I could with my old Treo. And other iPhone users like it as well, so far that's 6 iPhone users including myself. I guess the others expect a ergo desktop keyboard or something.