Microsoft brings top Windows Phone feature to iOS and Android

Microsoft has been trying to be a competitor in the smartphone business for years, but they haven't really succeeded in taking much market share from iOS and Android phones. That doesn't stop them from dreaming big. In fact, they're hoping that you'll choose their Word Flow Keyboard for all of your typing needs, even if you're not using their mobile OS.

If you've never used a Windows phone, then you're probably wholly unfamiliar with the Word Flow Keyboard. It's hard to get too excited about a keyboard, but Word Flow features support for gestures and swiping letters (much like Swype), along with standard features such as autocorrect and suggesting words. Starting sometime soon, you'll be able to use it on both iOS and Android phones alike.

It would seem that Microsoft truly does want to focus on bringing the same experiences across multiple platforms. The Word Flow Keyboard is usually one of the features that Windows phone users tend to rave about. Of course, sometimes it's one of the only features that makes them want to keep using it. So depending on your perspective, it's a good idea to share that with other platforms. On the other hand, one might argue that if your best features are available on competitors' phones, it might hurt sales of your own devices.

Microsoft has started emailing some people and offering to let them test out a beta version of their popular keyboard on iOS or Android devices. Since it's in beta, it will probably be AndroidHeadlinesa couple of months before we see it pop up on either app store.