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What is T9 dialing? All about the feature coming to iPhone iOS 18
Watch The Sun's Head of Technology & Science, Sean Keach, explain what else iOS 18 has in store for us in the video above
IT has been a long time coming, but T9 dialing is finally arriving on iPhones thanks to the iOS 18 update.
Earlier this week, Apple unveiled its upcoming iOS 18, and all the new features it will be bringing to iPhone handsets.
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From Apple Intelligence to lockable apps, iOS 18 is jam-packed with new tools.
But a quietly introduced feature is T9 dialing.
You might not recognise the name, but you will almost certainly have used this method of dialing before.
What is T9 dialing?
T9 dialing lets users type a contact's name using the number pad.
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It's how everyone used to text on keypads before phones adopted touchscreens.
It has been a long-requested feature for Android owners looking for an excuse to switch to iPhone.
Until now, users have had to type in phone numbers from memory - or copy and paste them.
Alternatively, they'd had to head to the Contacts app to make calls.
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How do you use T9 dialing?
Each number key represents three or four letters.
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These can be used to spell out contact names.
For example, the name 'James' would be spelt by pressing '52637'.
The T9 software predicts the intended contact based on the combination of key presses.
Do other phones use T9 dialing?
T9 is available on phones without a touchscreen, that still rely on keypads.
These days, these handsets are called 'dumbphones' - and they're rising in popularity.
T9 dialing is not commonly found on smartphones, unless the devices had a custom keyboard attached.
iPhone tricks to try today
Here are some of the best...
- Typing cursor – When typing, hold down the space bar to turn your keyboard into a trackpad, letting you move around words and sentences more easily
- Close all Safari tabs – To do this in one go, simply hold the overlapped squares in the bottom right-hand corner, and press close all tabs
- Delete lots of photos quickly – Hold down on a photo and then drag your finger diagonally in Photos to select lots of images at once, then hit delete
- Convert currency quickly – Swipe down from the top of your Home screen, then tap in the bar and type a currency (like €200) and it will automatically covert to your local currency
- Check if you’re due a battery upgrade – Batteries inside smartphones degrade over time. Just go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health, and check out the Maximum Capacity reading. Generally a battery is considered worn when you’re down to 80% capacity. If you’re below, you can buy a battery swap from Apple
- Move apps around faster – Hold an app until it starts wiggling, then (while still holding) tap other apps, causing them to stack so you can move them around easier
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