Study: iPhone keypad less efficient than physical QWERTY keypads

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Grand Master

NoneAvail

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A recent usability study found that average cell phone users are far more efficient using physical QWERTY keypads to type messages than they are when using the virtual keypad included with Apple Inc.'s new iPhone.

Global consulting firm User Centric, which had previously identified texting as potentially problematic for iPhone customers, said it commissioned the new survey to determine just how easy it is for conventional mobile phone users to transition to text input via the Apple handset's touchscreen keypad.

For the the study, the firm brought in a total of 20 participants who said they sent text messages at least 15 times per week -- ten of the participants owned a phone with a QWERTY keypad, and ten of the participants owned a phone with a numeric keypad.

During each session, participants were required to use their own phones to copy 12 standard messages that had been created for the study. The participants, none of which had ever used an iPhone, were then provided with one of the Apple handsets and asked to repeat the task.

"In general, participants took longer to enter text messages on the iPhone than on their own phone," User Centric wrote in a summary of the study. "Despite the keyboard similarities, QWERTY phone users took nearly twice as long to enter comparable messages on the iPhone compared to their own phone."

Specifically, participants were asked to copy 12 standard messages, each of which was between 104-106 characters in length (including spaces). Six of the messages each contained 8-10 instances of proper capitalization and punctuation, while the remaining six messages contained no capitalization or punctuation but had some abbreviations.

Participants were given little time to familiarize themselves with the iPhone's touch keyboard ahead of the study and therefore their texting abilities were still at the novice level. Throughout the study, however, User Centric said there were some "limited improvements in keyboard comfort as users progressed through the tasks on the iPhone."

"Overall, the findings in the study can be taken as a good representation of what iPhone text messaging is like for a customer who has just bought an iPhone and is using it for the first time," said Gavin Lew, Managing Director at User Centric. "It's important to consider the changes a person has to make when they switch to the iPhone.

Some specific observations from the July study are listed below:

Detailed Observations of User Text Entry on the iPhone Ergonomic Issues

* Most participants felt that their fingertips were too large for the iPhone's touch keyboard.

* Most QWERTY phone users initially used the iPhone by holding it with both hands and typing with their two thumbs. However, by the end of the session, most had decided that it was easier for them to use one index finger to type.

* Over half of the participants stated that they would have preferred the feel of an actual key to the iPhone's touch keypad.

* Most participants noticed that there was no tactile feedback on the iPhone keypad.

* Some mentioned that the feel of the key on conventional phones helps them locate the desired key without having to focus on the actual keypad.

General Interface Issues

* Participants expressed a great deal of frustration with the sensitivity of the iPhone touch keypad.

* Participants made an average of 11 errors per message on the iPhone compared to an average of 3 errors per text message on their own phone. Although the error rate was alleviated somewhat by the iPhone's self-correction feature, participants were still frustrated.

* In particular, participants struggled when they were trying to type using the Q & W keys or the O & P keys on the iPhone.

* 5 out of 20 participants asked if the iPhone came with a stylus. They indicated that they could be more accurate with the stylus rather than their fingers due to the sensitivity of the screen.

* One female participant tried to interact with the iPhone keypad using her fingernail and was unsuccessful.

* The space bar, return, and backspace keys presented issues for many participants because these keys were spaced so closely to each other.

* No one discovered the drag and lift feature of the keyboard, which reduces errors.

* Many participants said they could not see themselves attempting text entry on the iPhone in distracting conditions.

* Specifically, participants did not think they could text message on the iPhone safely while driving.

Predictive & Corrective Text Issues

* Only a few participants discovered and correctly learned to use the predictive and/or corrective text features on the iPhone. QWERTY phone users in particular had a tendency to backspace when they were correcting mistakes.

* Participants did not understand how the predictive / corrective text bubbles worked.

* 6 out of 20 participants tried to touch the bubble to get the word in the text bubble to appear.

* Three participants tried hitting the backspace key because they associated the ‘x' on it with the ‘x' in the bubble.

* It was especially frustrating for participants when they attempted to place the cursor in the middle of a word.

* None of the participants discovered the magnifying glass feature while text messaging.

* During a follow-up task that involved correcting a note in the iPhone's Notes application, 6 out of 20 did discover the magnifying glass feature. However, not all participants realized that the feature helps place the cursor in addition to enlarging the text.

another reason why i didn't get the iphone, and got the t mobile G1 instead. :)

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Grand Master

zhangm Supervisor

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The participants, none of which had ever used an iPhone, were then provided with one of the Apple handsets and asked to repeat the task.

"In general, participants took longer to enter text messages on the iPhone than on their own phone," User Centric wrote in a summary of the study.

Duh, if I were to switch over to a different keyboard than the one on my laptop, I'd enter text slowly as well, regardless of whether the keyboard layout was the same.

Specifically, participants did not think they could text message on the iPhone safely while driving.

As opposed to entering text messages on a physical keypad while driving? What an idiotic thing to do.

Grand Master

Linkinfamous

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Buttons, knobs, dials, and *moving parts* are on the way out.

Better get used to it.

There's a few things we need before we can get rid of them.

First, we need to be able to differentiate between a touch and a press.

Second, we need good force feedback on the screen itself. There has been some promising research with this: 'simulating' the feel of a button with a small vibration.

Combine the two, and you have a usable touch screen interface. Without it, I'll keep my physical keyboard, thank you very much.

Grand Master

+Majesticmerc MVC

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Buttons, knobs, dials, and *moving parts* are on the way out.

Better get used to it.

See I'm not so sure about that in general computing. I've tried a few different variations on non-physical keyboards, and I just don't feel right using a keyboard that doesn't physically move. In particular, I like having the contours between keys so that if I'm not sure that I'm hitting the right key, I can feel around for the edges of the key to determine where I am without having to look at the keyboard itself. This however is mainly because I'm a self-taught touch typist.

As for the physical vs virtual keyboard debate on the mobile scene, I agree entirely. Moving parts are on their way out.

On another note...

Specifically, participants did not think they could text message on the iPhone safely while driving.

You shouldn't be texting while typing in the first place, because texting at all while driving is inherently unsafe!

Grand Master

dreamz Veteran

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Duh, if I were to switch over to a different keyboard than the one on my laptop, I'd enter text slowly as well, regardless of whether the keyboard layout was the same.

not just that. the participants used their own phones for the first part of the experiment. but presumably they are very familiar with their own phones. it would be interesting to see how well they do on phones with physical keypads that they've never used before. i wonder if the time difference would be statistically significant there. also, it'd be interesting to see whether experienced iphone users find the keypad more or less efficient than physical keypads.

Grand Master

shihchiun

Posted
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During each session, participants were required to use their own phones to copy 12 standard messages that had been created for the study. The participants, none of which had ever used an iPhone, were then provided with one of the Apple handsets and asked to repeat the task.

So what this study really shows is that people who have never used an iPhone before type more slowly than with phones they've owned for a while. Misleading title.

Grand Master

The_Decryptor Veteran

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I type slower and make more mistakes every time I get a new keyboard, it's called muscle memory, key's are never in exactly the same place.

The iPhone/iPod Touch's keyboard is nice, it's sensitive enough they I haven't had it miss keystrokes. On the other hand my Nokia's physical keyboard is terrible, the top row of keys is too close to the screen, you can only depress half the key because of it. Of course this is just my experience with one phone, but meh.

Mentor

HideAndGoatse

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In other news a new study found that rocks do not float when dropped into water.

+1

Anyone with a physical keypad could have told you this ages ago lol

I don't understand why people think all touch is gonna be the norm in the future, I really don't see that :/ HTC's lineup of qwerty keypad phones are amazing, the touch pro has got to be one of the best phone design there can be, obviously this is all IMO, but really, its got the touch screen for all you touch lovers but then it has a sleek side out qwerty keyboard and not with crappy buttons or anything but buttons that you have to press down and feel them click. I'm just not into things that I can't feel working, I still use an old school dell keyboard for the same reasons, it just feels good. The only downfall I see is that it has 5 lines of buttons which is a bit much, some of their other phones have the standard 4 and it feels just right. (HTC 6800)

I think HTC keypads should be on all smart phones, they have great buttons, I was so angry about the G1's keypad

Edited by Bekabam
Grand Master

gigapixels Veteran

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I send over 14,000 texts a month and for me the keyboard ****es me off. I absolutely hate the on screen keyboard and it constantly selects the wrong letter.

My iPod Touch almost never selects the wrong letter and I can type rather quickly with it.

Grand Master

Minifig

Posted
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In other news a new study found that rocks do not float when dropped into water.

No kidding.

It took a study to find this out?

Is what the remaining of my tax moneys are going to?!

This is ludicrous.

Grand Master

instant.human

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No.... serious?

Wasn't this kinda... obvious?

my thoughts exactly...

however, i got used to it pretty fast and if it wasnt for the extremely crappy german auto-correction (the english one is WAY better) i would be typing even faster. =) especially in landscape-mode with easyWrite or something.

they are less efficient, sure, but you do get used to it and its getting easier, imho.

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