[HOW-TO] - Install the Ice Cream Sandwich Keyboard on Your Android Phone

Installing Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) on your Android phone sounds cool. But, all those unstable custom firmware versions, voided warranty, and bugs would probably make you think otherwise. It’s better to play it safe than be sorry in the end. You can, however, try some of ICS’s features on your phone without having to risk too much.

For instance, you can put the new Android ICS keyboard on your phone. The new ICS keyboard is said to be a better and improved version, with enhancements in text prediction and spelling correction. The best part is you won’t be needing to root your phone to enjoy this keyboard.

Aside from a new look and neat features, the Ice Cream Sandwich keyboard supports Arabic, Croatian, Czech, Danish, English (UK), English (US), Finnish, French, French (Canada), French (Switzerland), German, Hebrew, Hungarian, Italian, Norwegian Bokmai, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Serbian, Spanish, Spanish (United States), Swedish, and Turkish.

This keyboard doesn’t support haptic feedback and is only compatible with mobile phones. We will have to wait for future updates to enjoy these features. If haptic feedback isn’t a big deal, let’s now proceed to install the Ice Cream Sandwich keyboard on your Android phone.

How to Install the Ice Cream Sandwich Keyboard

1. Download the Ice Cream Sandwich Keyboard APK here.
2. Connect your phone to your computer via USB cable.
3. Copy the APK file to your phone’s memory.
4. Disconnect your device from your computer.
5. Using your phone’s file manager, open the APK file. It will attempt to install the app.
6. A message box will appear saying “This application you are installing will replace another application. All previous user data will be saved.”
7. Press “OK”.
8. A new screen will ask you for confirmation. Tap on the “Install” button to begin installation of the ICS keyboard.
9. Check if installation was successful by trying to compose an email or SMS message. If the ICS keyboard is not active, go to “Locale and Text” option and set “Ice Cream Sandwich Keyboard” as default keyboard.

Congratulations! You may now use the Ice Cream Sandwich keyboard on your Android phone.

[SOURCE: Android Authority]