Why won't autocorrect work? Galaxy SIII

[Diana_Miller]

Last night my Galaxy SIII updated automatically (I'm not sure what the update was, but everything looks very different). I was just getting used to typing on the Galaxy, but since the update, autocorrect/completion doesn't work at all. It still suggests words, but it no longer automatically fills in words/corrects misspelled words. For instance, if I type the letters "i" and "m", it no longer corrects the word to "I'm." It just keeps "im." The same goes for other misspellings. If I typed the name "Kieth" it would leave it as is (incorrect), whereas before the update it would have corrected it to "Keith." I have tried just about every setting under Language and Input and the Samsung Keyboard, and none of them fix this problem. Is there anything I can do to revert it back to the way it used to be?

[PJR35]

I am having the same issue.  The autocorrect function is useless since the update.  Very upsetting. 

[Muddafugga]

Same here. Went to Verizon store and had tech support look at the phone. Basically was told there's nothing they can do and to wait for another update and hope that they fix it. I even contacted Samsung's tech support and was told it's an issue with the software and not the phone. Shocker there!

[Muddafugga]

I contacted Verizon and this was their response:

"After a review of the software update notes, the predictive text engine was strategically updated by Samsung as part of the new software release. The device will now only show the original imputed word in the edit text screen. You should have predictive word choices under the edit screen."

Guess that solves that...

[andrew19]

That is how PR people avoid saying the truth. "strategically updated" means that Apple sued Samsung (http://bgr.com/2012/02/10/apple-sues-samsung-over-autocorrect-patent/) in their ever ongoing patent war; that news article is pretty skimpy on details.

The patent that is relevant to this topic is http://www.google.com/patents/US8074172 The important portion of the patent abstract is "replacing the current character string in the first area with the suggested replacement if the user activates a delimiter key on the keyboard". The "first area" is what you typed in wrong, and the suggested replacement. If you continue to read the patent is basically describes how auto-correct functions on nearly every smartphone.

3rd party apps (like swiftkey) would likely be forced to make similar updates if Apple decided to sue them.

This is the huge problem with software patents in the US - they help big companies such as Apple. Little companies can't even begin to defend their patents against the Apple legal team. Even worse - the consumer is the one who suffers. Samsung users have Apple to thank for this "update".

This is why the general community needs to patronize companies / technologies that favor openness. The ability for you to control YOUR property - patents go blindly in the face of this. Moreover software patent reform is desperately needed in the US. It is one thing when a pharmaceutical company spends a billion dollars developing a new drug and needs to make money off of it for years to receive money to continue development of new drugs. The case is completely different in the software arena - the space bar auto correct is not novel and probably was done many years before Apple wrote the patent. But they have so much money to spend on lawyers and the USPTO is overworked that these patents are granted and then the courts are bound to enforce them.

[Rugbyd]

I am also experiencing this issue.  I went through the full slate of tech support at both VZ and Samsung.  VZ sent me a replacement phone b/c they thought that would fix the problem.  It did not and I ended up sending that phone into Samsung for repair, which did not solve the problem.  I just got off the phone with both Samsung and VZ tech support and here's the issue in a nutshell:

1) For a  bug to be fixed by Samsung or Google VZ needs to declare the problem a "known issue".  The way to get this done is to post on these forums in sufficient numbers.

2) Once it is declared a known issue by VZ, the software people at Google or Samsung have cause to commit the necessary engineering resources to fix the problem.

3) Hopefully a patch update is sent out.

So please tell all your friends who also have this problem to post something on the VZ boards, not some random android site.  That's how they keep a record of this.

[AZSALUKI]

This isn't exactly the best solution for all of you, but smart keyboard pro (paid app) is the keyboard I've used for over a year now, specifically because it behaves as you all want yours to. It's predictive text works very well.

[Rugbyd]

We shouldn't have to pay for basic functionality.  Your solution may be expedient, but it unfortunately doesn't get to the heart of the problem for the broader VZ subscriber community.

[android_wiz]

yea i have that same problem as well but i found a FREE keyboard that works really well its called TouchPro its free and personally i like it but deff. is somethign that needs to be corrected on the phone software its self

[casquatch]

Same situation here. Not enjoying my new phone when I have to go back and correct my fat finger mistakes. Give us a fix! Not a workaround.