Apple, fix my keyboard before the timer ends or I'm leaving iPhone
An iPhone user has issued a dramatic ultimatum to Apple: fix the broken iOS keyboard by WWDC 2026 or face a permanent switch to Android. The author passionately details years of frustration with increasingly faulty autocorrect and missed key presses, highlighting a severe decline in user experience. This theatrical "threat" has resonated widely on Hacker News, sparking a deluge of agreement about Apple's declining software quality and perceived indifference.
The Lowdown
The author, Ozzyphantom, has created a countdown website challenging Apple to rectify the "broken" iOS keyboard experience before WWDC 2026, or they will abandon the iPhone ecosystem for Android. The article articulates a growing exasperation with the native keyboard, citing issues that have allegedly worsened since iOS 17, including nearly useless and hostile autocorrect, and a failure to accurately register tapped letters.
- The author notes a brief, revelatory switch to Android where the keyboard functioned flawlessly, but admits returning to iOS due to aesthetic preference for an "orange iPhone" and "blue bubble pressure."
- The ultimatum demands Apple either fix the problem or publicly acknowledge it and commit to a solution by iOS 27 or earlier.
- While acknowledging their departure is insignificant to Apple's bottom line, the author hopes it carries weight with the engineers, UX designers, and product teams responsible.
- The piece concludes with a poignant lament, stating Apple has fallen from its "it just works" mantra to being merely a "fruit that I used to know."
This public declaration is a highly personal, yet widely echoed, plea for Apple to address what many users perceive as a core functionality flaw that significantly degrades the daily iPhone experience.
The Gossip
Threat or Whimsy? The Ultimatum's Impact
Commenters were divided on the author's theatrical ultimatum. Many found the 'threat' of switching to Android for only two years, partly due to phone color and 'blue bubble pressure,' to be weak and laughable. They argued such a minor, temporary defection wouldn't sway a multi-trillion-dollar company. However, others defended the approach, suggesting that even a whimsical public complaint can serve as a 'canary in the coal mine,' representing a broader silent majority and generating valuable, if indirect, attention and public pressure on Apple's declining software quality.
Keyboard Calamity: Widespread User Frustration
A dominant theme was the overwhelming agreement that the iOS keyboard has indeed deteriorated significantly. Many users shared their own frustrations, describing issues with autocorrect (often 'hostile' or 'actively wrong'), missed key presses, and inconsistent text selection. Some pinpointed 'Predictive Text' as a major culprit, with disabling it sometimes alleviating issues, while others noted the problem persists even without it. The sentiment was that Apple's once-polished typing experience has become a major source of daily annoyance, leading some to question their own typing skills or even their sanity.
Alternative Keyboards and Privacy Predicaments
The discussion explored the viability of third-party keyboards as a solution to Apple's native keyboard woes. Many suggested alternatives like Gboard or SwiftKey, noting they offer a superior typing experience, especially for multilingual users. However, this advice was met with skepticism due to two main concerns: the inherent limitations of third-party keyboards on iOS (e.g., restricted features, performance issues) and significant privacy implications, as these keyboards, particularly those from Google or Microsoft, could potentially log user input, undermining a core reason some users choose Apple's ecosystem.
Apple's Fading 'Just Works' Mystique
Beyond the keyboard, many comments broadened into a general critique of Apple's declining software quality and UX across iOS and macOS. Users lamented that features that once 'just worked' now suffer from bugs, inconsistency, and inexplicable design choices. This perceived degradation was attributed to various factors, including a shift in corporate priorities towards profit over user experience, an exodus of original talent, and Apple's leveraging of ecosystem lock-in (like iMessage 'blue bubbles') to retain users despite growing frustrations. Some argued that while hardware remains excellent, the software experience increasingly feels neglected.