Microsoft regularly develops hardware and software solutions in its research labs, with some seeing the light of day and others canceled for a variety of reasons. WMPowerUser claims that Microsoft's research team is working on a curved software keyboard that might be made available in Windows Phone 8.

Citing a leaked Microsoft Research presentation, the site has managed to obtain an image of the onscreen keyboard in action. The curved keyboard appears to be designed for one-handed thumb typing (similar to Swype), allowing users to use a predictive text technology to thumb over letters. Microsoft has previously used similar keyboards in its ultra-mobile PCs. WMPowerUser also claims the keyboard may be part of Windows Phone 8, after Microsoft inadvertently revealed they were working on a "one handed input and next gen soft keyboard" in a Research video last year. Microsoft revealed some basic UI changes in Windows Phone 8 last month, but the company has not yet detailed any keyboard improvements.