Arrow keys anyone???

It would be nice if arrow keys were included in the iOS, but if you really need arrow keys buy a Bluetooth keyboard. I know what many will say. Why should I buy something that should be included? Well it currently isn't included, so your only options are to buy a Bluetooth keyboard or wait and hope Apple includes arrow keys in the future.

My comments aren't directed at you Jarom, but rather to those that are really pushing for arrow keys.

Yes, that is obvious. I thought that the point of this apple-based forum was the hope that someone from Apple might see our suggestion and realize the request would be no big deal. To argue here about whethe or not it currently exists is fruitless. We know already that it doesn't. 🙂

Okay, if I must explain it in simpler terms: by "optional popup" I mean a setting that makes it ALWAYS or NEVER appear with my keyboard when my keyboard pops up. There are already other apps that add arrow keys to the iPad keyboard and it is easier to tap those than it is to stop typing, point to the space one or two places up that needs fixing, zoom in with the silly magnifying glass and hope that when I let go the cursor is exactly where I needed it -- a fast, trained typist works more quickly on keyboard keys than when you have to stop to use the mouse or start poking around with a finger. I'm very glad it works perfectly for you, but I lose a lot of time constantly stopping and starting to play with cutesy touchscreen tricks.

Yes, I know that it's not a laptop. But I type on it a LOT -- just like I type on my laptop a lot. If you never use arrow keys on your computer or laptop keyboard, then this is not an issue that affects you, and for some reason you are just here to pick fights and call me foolish. If you have something constructive to add, please do. If not, please desist.

And to say that they got it right the first time? Wow, who's Apple-butt are we kissing? 😉 If they got it right the first time there would be no iPod 2 or 3, and never an update. They certainly did not get it right the first time.

As we've already said many times in this forum, there are other iPad apps that have added arrow keys to the keyboard when it pops up. If they can do it, it can be done. That is what I meant by "possible" 🙂

The ipad is probably still the best tablet on the market at the moment. I sold my ipad 3 and used the surface for a week. Big mistake. Then traveled overseas for five weeks with the galaxy note 10.1. Equally big mistke. i dumped that as soon as I got back to the US and bought the ipad mini. Love it. But as someone said, the reason apple is ignoring requests for arrow keys is because they're afraid of sales biting into the Mac air numbers. And rightly so. But they're afraid of the wrong market. 2011 I sold my macair and bought a toshiba portege and I have never been more happy. And my main app is recording music. Weird.

And yesterday I returned my iPhone 5. Bad wifi and awful battery life just isn't cutting it. and my main complaint with the iphone 4s was that it was too narrow. Apple is trying to maintain momentum and trying to keep their strategy of telling customers what they should like but I think only jobs could pull that off with finesse. If apple loses my tablet business in the future it will probably be to a windows tablet/laptop that lets me combine the functionality of the ipad and laptop. I guess we'll have to accept the annoyances in iOS and praise the lord it's not android.

cherylannefromlittleton wrote:

Yes, that is obvious. I thought that the point of this apple-based forum was the hope that someone from Apple might see our suggestion and realize the request would be no big deal. To argue here about whethe or not it currently exists is fruitless.

This is also not the appopriate place to make suggestions to Apple. The feedback link has already been given in this thread, but, for the benefit of those who haven't taken the time to read the whole thread, here it is again:

http://www.apple.com/feedback

Sure it is; it's the Apple website -- they occasionally read through some of the active discussions 🙂 But thanks for posting the link again, most of us have sent feedback, but it doesn't hurt to do it again!

Ha! Good to know! Though I would trade my PC laptop for the Surface with Windows 8 when it comes out in a heartbeat!

I can live with zooming in and inserting the cursor where I want it, except that in the email function when typing a reply the zoom function does not work. Is there a reason for that, I wonder? Is there a setting for this? Zoom works elsewhere, right here for example.

Hi

Came across this post asking exactly the same question. There are several websites that cannot be adequately navigated without arrow keys. Finger touch etc will not work with google api playground for instance making the iPad useless as a tool for browsing or editing the site.

So while I agree that touch screen, finger touch etc are very nice and innovative, sometimes the arrow keys are the difference between making the iPad useful or useless.

Also agree with the positioning of the cursor to edit is not easy for podgy fingers like mine and I can accept zooming does make life easier it still doesn't always provide the answer.

There are so many website forms (for example), where you are typing into a box and the beginning of the text disappears, so it is impossible to use the touch screen to check on what you have written. Just one example of where arrow keys would be so useful. I do a lot on my iPhone where it is an even bigger problem due to the increased difficulty of touching a small screen to position the cursor. Arrow keys as an option please Apple! If you don't like them, you don't have to use them...

Clare Smales wrote:

Arrow keys as an option please Apple!

-> http://www.apple.com/feedback/

Plenty of people have sent feedbacck into the Apple feedback black hole.

Apple is the rare company that doesn't even pretend to care about customer service.

If someone wants arrow keys, they shouldn't buy an Apple product. I know this now and will purchase accordingly in the future...

and yet you litter these forums with your garbage others have to wade through....

Apple is the rare company that doesn't even pretend to care about customer service.

Why? Because they didn't make a product that meets YOUR checklist?