Fleksy Messenger Offers SMS Messaging on Samsung Gear 2

Fleksy, a creator of third-party keyboards for Android and iOS, has released an SMS messaging app for the Samsung Gear 2. Fleksy Messenger allows owners of the Tizen smartwatch to send text messages directly from the watch itself, complete with a miniaturized onscreen keyboard for entering text, without requiring the user to use their smartphone.

The app shows the message thread on the Gear 2’s display, along with options to back out or reply, with the app automatically communicating with the connected smartphone to synchronize messages. The keyboard itself takes up approximately half of the display, leaving space above to display entered text and a button to send the message. Despite the small size of the display, the keyboard uses its predictive dictionary to counter inevitable mistakes, with punctuation placed by swiping gestures.

Fleksy CEO and founder Kosta Eleftheriou is serious about the app’s potential on mobile devices, regardless of the size of the screen being used. “It’s exciting to be expanding to devices like Samsung Gear, and we’re confident that Fleksy will continue to grow as the leading keyboard for smart and connected devices,” writes Eleftheriou in a blog post. “We want every owner of a smart device – wearable devices included – to have access to Fleksy, and to enjoy a happy typing experience.”

The app is available to download from Samsung Apps, and will work with the Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo. It is unclear if the app will be brought to the original Galaxy Gear, as that uses Android rather than Tizen.