At first glance, this Arabic keyboard seems typical and standard. However, a closer look reveals a layout resembling that familiar to English users.
Arab-easy, inspired by the term Arabizi, is a keyboard platform positioning Arabic letters where their English equivalents would be.
Launched on Thursday by the global tech group e& (etisalat and), the platform aims to support Arabic speakers unfamiliar with typing in Arabic. The keyboard is tailored to match the QWERTY layout, standard for English.
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Arabizi, an informal method of writing Arabic with the English alphabet, originated in the 1990s with the advent of computers. It simplified writing Arabic words using numbers for letters absent in English, evolving with social media’s rise.
This platform, a downloadable keyboard for mobile and desktop, rearranges the Arabic keyboard, compatible with OS, Android, Windows, and MAC.
The Arab-easy app is an additional keyboard, not a replacement, switchable via device settings or by pressing Shift + Alt on laptops.
Fady Rofaeel, creative director at Saatchi & Saatchi, noted a disconnect forming between the younger generation and typing in Arabic, distancing them from their language.
“We want people to stay connected to their culture,” he emphasized.
