Microsoft patent reveals new methods for Xbox and touch keyboards

It was only last week that a Microsoft patent for a virtual Xbox keyboard utilizing a radial design. As a design made to better utilize the analogue controls available on a console’s controller, it’s an interesting idea and definitely appears better than the horizontal bar of the Xbox 360’s Bing search bar.

This radial design isn’t the only keyboard method that Microsoft is planning to pioneer, though. The “Dual Input Multilayer Keyboard” is a typing method designed around multiple key layers. Based on the directional movement of both analogue sticks and touch gestures, this new method should provide a faster form of typing. It does, however, sound like it would take some getting used to.

The new typing method should be useful for any experiences Microsoft is planning to implement on mobiles and tablets, say, the streaming service Project xCloud.

Whether or not we ever get to see this form of typing on consoles, smartphones or any other device depends on Microsoft. For now, typing on a controller is fine with a standard keyboard format and users are always critical of change. What do you think?

Source: Windows Central