<p>The other night, my wife and I were at a bar and both on our respective smartphones -- she on her iPhone and I on my Android. I, being the far more awkward and self-conscious one, was holding my device below the bar with one hand so as not to appear like we were a couple who would spend an entire evening staring into glowing screens rather than each other's faces, albeit momentarily for a quick email.</p><p>But as we composed our messages, I noticed the way we were sitting. My wife had both elbows on the bar and used her thumbs to type in her message. Meanwhile, I was holding my phone with one hand near my leg and using my thumb to swipe the email into my phone. And I realized our body language was all due to the different keyboards we were using.</p><p>Since the very first model, iPhone users have been locked into Apple's default keyboard, unable to switch to or install a third-party input method. However, Android, since it allows for a multitude of customization options, has a wealth of various third-party keyboards and input methods -- ranging from the tried and true, like Swype and Swiftkey, to the outright bizarre, like the learning curve-heavy 8pen.</p><p>Although Apple isn't alone in its steadfast devotion to a default keyboard -- BlackBerry and Windows also don't permit users to switch either -- it's extremely unfortunate that Cupertino hasn't allowed for different keyboards at any point in its mobile lines' lifespan. Personally, after using a swipe-to-compose method on Swype, Swiftkey, and Google's default keyboards, I can't imagine ever going back to a tap-type interface for any mobile device in the future. To me, the speed, ease, and functionality of Swype is so far beyond a simple keyboard that I invariably make a face every time I have to compose a message on my wife's iPhone.</p><p><a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2013/07/10/apple-iphone-customization/2505739/">Keep reading...</a></p><p>Read also:</p><p><a href="http://www.macrumors.com/2013/07/09/iphone-5s-may-include-slow-motion-video-recording-feature/">iPhone 5S May Include Slow Motion Video Recording Feature</a> (Mac Rumors)</p><p><a href="http://www.zdnet.com/25-things-my-new-android-phone-does-that-makes-my-iphone-feel-like-it-comes-from-the-1990s-7000017737/">25 things my new Android phone does that makes my iPhone feel like it comes ...</a> (ZDNet (blog))</p><p><a href="http://blogs.computerworld.com/smartphones/22448/apple-iphone-rumour-production-has-begun">Apple iPhone rumour production has begun</a> (Computerworld (blog))</p><p>Explore: <a href="http://news.google.com/news/more?ncl=dFy62mrjkR0RelM089zDF1a4UQcXM&ned=us">537 additional articles.</a></p>