Preprint

Exploring the Impact of Word Prediction Assistive Features on Smartphone Keyboards for Blind Users

Mrim M. Alnfiai and Muhammad Ashad Kabir, arXiv preprint (later journal article), 2024

Read on October 16, 2026

What it is: A comparative study of eleven blind smartphone users typing on an on-screen QWERTY keyboard with and without word prediction. It measured speed, error rates and workload.
How much weight it carries: A small sample of eleven participants, all blind, with prior touchscreen experience. The abstract says prediction slightly improves speed, but the results section reports a lower average speed with prediction, and that difference is not statistically significant.

Facts taken from this source

In the 2024 blind-user study, average typing speed on the default smartphone keyboard without word prediction was 1.87 words per minute.
“The average typing speed was higher when using the keyboard without word prediction (average = 1.87 words per minute, WPM)” (Section 4.1, Typing Speed)
The blind-user study defines words per minute by counting five characters as one word, which is the convention used for typing speeds in this guide.
“WPM represents the number of words typed per minute, with each word consisting of five characters” (Section 3.6 (Typing speed))
In the results section of the blind-user study, average typing speed was 1.87 words per minute without word prediction and 1.63 with it.
“the average typing speed was higher when using the keyboard without word prediction (average = 1.87 words per minute, WPM) than the standard keyboard with word prediction (average = 1.63 WPM)” (Section 4.1 (Typing Speed))
The blind-user study found that word prediction did not enhance typing accuracy and increased both physical and temporal workload, compared with the default keyboard.
“it does not enhance typing accuracy and increases both physical and temporal workload compared to the default keyboard” (Abstract)
The paired test in the blind-user study found no significant difference between the typing speeds of the two keyboards.
“The paired test revealed no significant differences between the typing speeds of both keyboards.” (Section 4.1 (Typing Speed))

Preprint

Mrim M. Alnfiai and Muhammad Ashad Kabir, arXiv preprint (later journal article), 2024

Read on October 16, 2026

What it is: A comparative study of eleven blind smartphone users typing on an on-screen QWERTY keyboard with and without word prediction. It measured speed, error rates and workload.
How much weight it carries: A small sample of eleven participants, all blind, with prior touchscreen experience. The abstract says prediction slightly improves speed, but the results section reports a lower average speed with prediction, and that difference is not statistically significant.

In the 2024 blind-user study, average typing speed on the default smartphone keyboard without word prediction was 1.87 words per minute.
“The average typing speed was higher when using the keyboard without word prediction (average = 1.87 words per minute, WPM)” (Section 4.1, Typing Speed)
The blind-user study defines words per minute by counting five characters as one word, which is the convention used for typing speeds in this guide.
“WPM represents the number of words typed per minute, with each word consisting of five characters” (Section 3.6 (Typing speed))
In the results section of the blind-user study, average typing speed was 1.87 words per minute without word prediction and 1.63 with it.
“the average typing speed was higher when using the keyboard without word prediction (average = 1.87 words per minute, WPM) than the standard keyboard with word prediction (average = 1.63 WPM)” (Section 4.1 (Typing Speed))
The blind-user study found that word prediction did not enhance typing accuracy and increased both physical and temporal workload, compared with the default keyboard.
“it does not enhance typing accuracy and increases both physical and temporal workload compared to the default keyboard” (Abstract)
The paired test in the blind-user study found no significant difference between the typing speeds of the two keyboards.
“The paired test revealed no significant differences between the typing speeds of both keyboards.” (Section 4.1 (Typing Speed))