Why modern IMEs matter in 2025
Large language models aren’t just in chat apps—they now live inside our keyboards. On Android, Gboard’s AI Writing Tools bring proofreading and rephrasing to where you type. On iPhone, iOS 18’s systemwide Writing Tools (part of Apple Intelligence) offer proofread/rewrite/summarize nearly everywhere, with a strong on‑device privacy story. Meanwhile, Gboard is adding speed‑centric UX tweaks like a flick‑to‑symbols gesture and even a compact Hindi grid layout aimed at denser scripts. Together, these shifts change how fast—and how confidently—we type across languages. (androidauthority.com)
How we ran a head‑to‑head IME test
If you want to measure your gains on our typing test site, use this lightweight protocol to capture three numbers that matter:
- Speed (WPM/CPM): Run three 1‑minute trials per layout/feature combo and average the results.
- Accuracy: Use the test’s accuracy readout or compute correct characters ÷ total characters.
- Edit‑rate: Count backspaces and AI‑initiated edits per 100 characters (most test apps, including ours, can log this). Lower is better.
Test scenarios we recommend:
- Baseline: Standard Gboard, no AI; iOS with Apple Intelligence off.
- AI‑assist: Gboard Writing Tools on; iOS Writing Tools Proofread/Rewrite on.
- Symbol stress: 30–40% digits/punctuation to expose the flick‑to‑symbols advantage.
- Hindi typing: Compare Gboard’s standard Hindi layout vs. the new compact grid (if available on your device), and include a transliteration pass (Latin→Devanagari) for realism. (androidauthority.com)
Tip: Keep device, app, and OS versions noted in your results. Gboard’s feature set changes fast (it hit 10B installs and saw several UI/input updates in 2025). (9to5google.com)
What’s new in Gboard: AI proofreading, flick‑symbols, and a Hindi grid
- AI Writing Tools (proofread/rephrase) on Android: Initially Pixel‑first, these tools are rolling out to more phones and run on‑device via Gemini Nano, so your text isn’t uploaded to the cloud. Availability depends on hardware that supports AICore’s on‑device model. (androidauthority.com)
- Proofreading expansion: An Android Authority teardown spotted strings hinting at many more supported languages beyond English (German, Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean)—a big deal for multilingual typists. As with any teardown, timelines can slip, but it shows where Gboard is headed. (androidauthority.com)
- Flick‑to‑symbols: Now in Gboard 16.2, you can swipe down on letter keys (Q→P for 1–0) to enter numbers/symbols instantly, with sensitivity controls to suit your thumb. It removes a mode switch or long‑press for each symbol—huge in numeric‑heavy typing. Enable it in Settings → Preferences → Shortcuts → “Flick keys to enter symbols.” (9to5google.com)
- Compact Hindi grid layout: A numpad‑inspired 10‑button grid with directional swipes packs multiple Devanagari characters per key, designed to cut movement and decisions per character. It’s surfaced in Gboard code but may not be live on all devices yet. Watch for rollouts. (androidauthority.com)
Apple baseline: iOS 18’s on‑device Writing Tools
On iPhone (iOS 18.1 and later), Writing Tools let you proofread, rewrite by tone, and summarize text systemwide. They’re tightly integrated and designed to process as much as possible on‑device; when a larger model is needed, Apple routes requests through Private Cloud Compute (PCC) with verifiable, stateless processing that claims not to store your data. Feature and language availability depend on device/chip and OS version. (support.apple.com)
As of late 2025, Apple lists broad language availability (e.g., English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, plus several Nordics/Turkish) with iOS/iPadOS/macOS updates—check your device’s eligibility and language pack. (support.apple.com)
Transliteration is getting smarter (and measurable)
Many multilingual users mix Latin script with native scripts. Gboard supports phonetic transliteration (e.g., type “namaste” → “नमस्ते”), and recent LLM research suggests general‑purpose models can rival or surpass specialized transliteration systems across Indic languages. When your IME’s transliteration is accurate, edit‑rate plummets because you accept more first‑pass candidates. (google.com)
Fresh 2025 work also proposes reversible, coding‑aware transliteration pipelines that reduce token counts while guaranteeing lossless round‑trips, hinting at future IMEs with faster inference and fewer mistakes in low‑resource scripts. For everyday users, that means fewer backspaces and more confidence typing between scripts. (arxiv.org)
Privacy and latency: on‑device vs. cloud
- Android: Gemini Nano runs inside AICore under Private Compute Core principles—no direct internet access, per‑request isolation, and no retention of prompts/outputs. On‑device also cuts latency and works offline, which you’ll notice when proofreading or rephrasing short messages. (developer.android.com)
- Apple: Writing Tools prioritize on‑device processing and fall back to PCC only when necessary; Apple details verifiable, stateless processing on Apple silicon servers. For typing, that typically translates to low‑latency edits and a strong privacy posture. (security.apple.com)
Practical tips to win your test
- On Gboard (Android)
- Turn on flick‑to‑symbols: Settings → Preferences → Shortcuts → “Flick keys to enter symbols,” then adjust sensitivity. Pair with “Touch & hold keys for symbols” to reveal more hinted symbols. (9to5google.com)
- Try AI Writing Tools: Look for the sparkle/pen button in the toolbar to Proofread or Rephrase. Works on devices with Gemini Nano support. If it’s missing, update Gboard and system components, then reboot. (androidauthority.com)
- Hindi typing: If the compact grid isn’t live yet, use standard Devanagari plus transliteration mode for speed; keep an eye on updates for the grid layout. (androidauthority.com)
- On iPhone (iOS 18+)
- Use Writing Tools anywhere you can select text: long‑press → Writing Tools → Proofread/Rewrite/Summarize. It’s available across first‑ and many third‑party apps. (support.apple.com)
- For privacy assurance, try a quick offline test: toggle Airplane Mode and use Proofread on a short note; many tasks should still work because they’re on‑device. For complex requests, iOS may defer until online for PCC. (security.apple.com)
- For transliteration accuracy
- When you’re unsure of exact spellings, type phonetically and pick from the candidate list rather than over‑editing mid‑word; this usually lowers edit‑rate in Indic scripts. (google.com)
What to expect from your results
- Symbol‑heavy passages: Flick‑to‑symbols usually shines because it removes a mode switch or long‑press per symbol. You’ll see the biggest speed uptick in passwords, coding snippets, and forms. (9to5google.com)
- Long‑form English/European languages: Gboard and iOS Writing Tools both reduce edit‑rate by catching grammar/typos before you manually fix them; on modern devices, latency is low because most inference is local. (androidauthority.com)
- Hindi and other Indic scripts: If/when Gboard’s compact grid arrives on your phone, try it against standard Devanagari and a transliteration pass. Combined with improved LLM transliteration, you should see fewer corrections and higher acceptance of first suggestions. (androidauthority.com)
Bottom line
- If you live in digits and symbols, turn on Gboard’s flick‑to‑symbols—it's the biggest immediate speed win.
- If you draft a lot on mobile, enable AI proofreading on both platforms; keep it on‑device where possible for privacy and snappy edits.
- For Hindi/Indic workflows, watch for Gboard’s compact grid and lean on transliteration when you’re unsure of spellings—the latest research trends suggest IMEs will only get better here.
Run the protocol above on our typing test and share your WPM, accuracy, and edit‑rate. Modern IMEs aren’t just smarter—they’re finally faster and more private, too. (developer.android.com)
