Users find typing on the iPhone slow?

Chicago-based usability consultancy User Centric tested the iPhone’s touch keyboard comparing it with conventional QWERTY and numeric phone keyboards. The test involved 20 frequent texters who send at least 15 messages per week, with 10 of them owning the phone with full QWERTY keyboard.

Unsurprisingly, QWERTY keyboard equipped handset owners have found typing on the iPhone slower than on their standard handset. However, what is surprising is that users with standard non-QWERTY phones took nearly as long to create a message on the iPhone as they did on their numeric phones. While, I’ve no doubt about the first, the latter made me think:

• There’s no word about which phones “QWERTY users” are using when they are not surveyed — i.e. Nokia (NYSE: NOK) E90 has a way different and way more comfortable keyboard than let’s say Palm (NSDQ: PALM) Treo.
• Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) did say users will need some time to get used to iPhone’s virtual keyboard.
• 20 participants? You gotta be kidding me.

If you care to find out more about User Centric’s survey, check our this page on their site.