Apple Acquired Keyboard App Maker Dryft Last Year

Apple bought keyboard app maker Dryft sometime last year and brought on talent from the company to lead development of its onscreen iOS keyboards, according to a new report from TechCrunch. 

The report points to the LinkedIn profile of Dryft’s CEO Randy Marsden, which confirms he joined Apple last September and now leads iOS keyboard development for iPhones and iPads. Marsden also happens to be the co-founder of popular keyboard app Swype.

Apple confirmed the acquisition that appears to have taken place last year with its usual statement to TechCrunch saying “it buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and does not generally discuss its purpose or plans.”

The Dryft keyboard for tablets describes its innovations as a “patented touch tap” technology and a finger tracking system that allow the onscreen keys to act more like a physical keyboard. At Apple, Marsden is in charge of development of “onscreen keyboards and related text input intelligence for iPhones and iPads.”