As far as I'm aware, plenty of people struggle with outer number-row keys (US QWERTY 1, 2, 9, 0, -, =). I sure still do on staggered keyboards, but don't have a problem on TypeMatrix or similarly configured point-of-sale keypads.
Putting the numbers two rows above the home position sucks in general. Personally I don’t have any problem with 2, 9, or 0, but the `, 1, 6, 7, =, and backspace keys are all in terrible places.
On a Typematrix, the `, 5, 6, -, +, esc, and all the F keys are all still pretty bad.
(One additional problem: the Typematrix really suffers by having all uniform flat keycaps. The number row on a standard-layout keyboard with sculpted keycaps is actually much easier to reach than the number row on an all-flat Typematrix. But then, most people nowadays type on chiclet-cap scissor-switch boards, so...)
Getting rid of the top row or scaling it back to 3–4 keys per hand, and putting the number keys on a layer near the home row makes a dramatic improvement, regardless of the physical keyboard layout.
The typematrix left shift is great. Too bad it’s not symmetrical on the right. Typematrix enter is also great, and the additional separation between hands is nice, though even more separation would be better. Typematrix ctrl and fn keys are all just as bad as a standard keyboard, if not worse. The typematrix is severely hampered by the need to keep all the keys in a strict grid, and to stay somewhat close to the standard keyboard layout. With the same amount of physical space, someone making a custom flat one-piece keyboard can do dramatically better by aligning keys better with the hands and dropping all the awkward key positions, putting those actions on layers.