I don’t know whether QWERTY is good or bad. But it’s clear that the most people use it.
If QWERTY is like regular shoes, then QWERTY Mini is simply like rain boots for a rainy day.
Good luck.
Here are the advantages of a 16-key, 2-row structure.
1. 16 keys is the optimal balance
If you go down to 15 keys or fewer, you can’t keep all five vowels as independent keys. That forces awkward combinations, increases double-taps, and hurts typing efficiency.
If you go above 17 keys, the keys get smaller, touch accuracy drops, and the advantage over standard QWERTY starts to disappear.
2. 2 rows enable real swipe-based input
With only two rows, each key has enough height for clear up/down swipes.
This makes it possible to input symbols, numbers, and extended characters instantly - without long-press or switching modes.
For example, it is possible to open the extended character panel with an up-swipe and instantly input the primary extended character with a down-swipe.
3. Perfect left-right symmetry (4:4)
The layout is evenly balanced, which improves hand distribution and stability.
In landscape mode, this symmetry becomes even more powerful with split layouts, creating a fully balanced two-hand typing system.
4. Main screen symbol placement
Extended characters, numbers, and symbols can be designed to be accessed via double-tap, swipes, long-press, or simultaneous input.
Why not traditional QWERTY?
The 3-row, 26-key structure is fundamentally limited on mobile:
- Too many small keys reduce touch accuracy.
- Limited key height makes swipe input difficult, leading to reliance on long-press and drag.
- Asymmetry reduces efficiency in split layouts and limits usability in landscape mode.
The 2-row, 16-key structure is highly suited for efficient and extensible input on mobile.
Good question. I’m not entirely sure about its value yet.
It was done to continue development without legal uncertainty, and it’s mainly a defensive measure.
Since tap-and-hold has a longer delay, wouldn’t it be more suitable as a method for various extended characters in the multilingual versions? I will check whether there is any interference between simultaneous input and double-tap and take the necessary actions. Thank you for the feedback.
There is, understandably, a slight delay with double-tapping, so using simultaneous key presses can help improve speed when typing quickly. Thank you for your feedback.
Good point. I’m not sure why Apple designed it that way either. Anyway, the globe icon area is required by the OS, so its size can’t be reduced. Thanks for the feedback!
Thanks for the thoughtful point!
Hitbox behavior is largely constrained by OS -level policies from the manufacturers, so major improvements on that side are difficult for now.
At this stage, I'm mainly trying to evaluate the layout and the input method itself - and hopefully, in the future, issues like hitbox tuning can be improved as well.
Yes, all characters are entered with tap or double-tap, and it also supports simultaneous taps as an advanced option.
It’s fully local, with no autocorrect or prediction.
Minuum compresses QWERTY into one row, but QWERTY mini keeps the QWERTY structure to preserve the familiar typing experience.
Thanks for your interest!
Thanks for letting me know! The website isn’t optimized yet, so it’s running slower than usual. I’ll work on improving it soon. Really appreciate your interest!