Apple Include Hidden Keys in iPad's Split Keyboard

[Phillip Swanson]

Apple added the ability for users to split the iPad’s keyboard into two halves iOS5, helping those without Shaq-hands type effectively in landscape mode.

Apple even went a step further in making extended text entry on the iPad 2 bearable with iOS 5, they added six hidden buttons on the split keyboard. Yes, there are in fact hidden keys for the letters Y,H,B,T,G,V. The keys aren’t labeled, but if the keys will in fact respond to touches where they should be before the keyboard is split.

The invisible keys allow users to type the aforementioned keys without switching hands potentially making typing more effective and preventing unwanted touches especially to those used to typing Y,H, and B with their let hand as well those who are used to typing T,G,and V with their right.

The hidden keys are an example of the subtle design elements Apple rarely highlights, but use to round out the iOS user experience. Or this was an unintentionally cool accident that Apple decided to keep in iOS 5. Either way, it's useful.

Source: Finer Things [via iDownloadBlog]

[manickbarry]

How very strange!

[R.Mortera]

That's weird lol.

[fbiryujin]

How do we know this is not a bug? I don't use the split keyboard that often, but honestly if I am touching an element under these hidden keys (button on a webpage) I'd expect that to be tapped, and not a hidden key.

[Silverado1987]

Why don't they just put the buttons there to begin with?

[luvmytj]

It sure enough does have hidden keys. Interesting, I never noticed it before, but then again I wasn't tapping non-key areas either.

[bigliquid530]

Didn't even know the keyboard could be split

[Rich246]

You can also hold down the keyboard icon next to .?123 on the bottom right and click "split" and also "undock" which makes the keyboard hover in the middle of the screen.

[clive.weller]

It would be even better if a numeric set of keys were visible at all times on all i devices

[godfred212]

i didn't know the keyboard can be split how is that done? any help?

[Jacobh4]

Yeah, I was once typing and I figured that out. I thought it was just a bug.

[s0ulp1xel]

That's weird lol.

This!

[luvmytj]

i didn't know the keyboard can be split how is that done? any help?

Do as Rich up a few post says, or touch the keyboard in the center with your thumb & index finger (like your pinching something) and then open them up horizontally. Make sense?

[korbyn8495]

There's also a hidden "6" right next to the 5 when numbers are showing too

[Aehmlo]

Apple? Bugs? Never.

[Aehmlo]

For all those people who are waiting to get iPad 3. the iPad 3 i s going t o release next month.

And you know this because...

[cherrywu]

It sounds so strange. My first time to hear that the keyboard could be splited.