If the Apple Watch 7 wants to blow away Samsung's Galaxy Watch 4, which debuts in a few weeks, it doesn't have to think that big. Rather, it should steal a fairly minor feature from its Wear OS rival, the T9 keyboard.

The Apple Watch has many messaging upgrades planned thanks to watchOS 8, but there is still no option to enter text without the help of the best Apple Watch apps from third-party developers. apple Watch keyboard is unlikely to be announced at the same time as the hardware launch. However, after using the one on the Galaxy Watch 4, I am envious.

Among the excellent features of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4's Wear OS is the T9 keyboard, which I use daily. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 also had a T9 keyboard, but I still relied on the T9 keyboard more than I thought I would when texting. You would think it would be silly to type on such a small screen, but I appreciated being able to send messages when talk-to-text wasn't available or I didn't want to draw letters.

In my opinion, this keyboard gives Google's software the edge in the ongoing Wear OS vs. watchOS battle. when sending a message on Wear OS, you have the option to type, and you get a recommended autocomplete word on the way. You just click on the number. Simply click on the number, and the corresponding letters will pop up for you to choose from.

You may know how to send a text message on your Apple Watch, but what if you could type a message with just a few taps? Why can't Apple just release a native version when a workaround exists?

For now, the only practical way to compose a message on the Apple Watch without the help of non-Apple apps is to use the Talk-to-Text feature. But there must be a more discreet and efficient way to communicate with others from your wrist.

On the Galaxy Watch 4, I type out messages more often than I dictate them. I've been working from home for the past year and a half, and I've grown tired of talking to myself. Of course, I still talk to my dog as if we were colleagues, but if I don't hear anyone else's voice back, it feels less awkward to write out a text.

I am not optimistic that we will be able to do this on the Apple Watch anytime soon without a third-party app. Again, with the overhaul of messages in watchOS 8, the next year of Apple Watch functionality seems set. Instead, Apple Watch 7 will probably include some dedicated tools, such as a new health sensor and special display settings for Apple Watch 7. Rumors also point to an Apple Watch 7 redesign coming soon.

In other words, there is no need to wait for the Apple Watch 7 for a possible keyboard. In the expected Apple Watch 7 vs. Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 showdown, the keyboard will remain Samsung's advantage. In the meantime, let's hope that watchOS 9 will finally bring an Apple Watch keyboard