What prevents Apple from adding T9 feature to the dialer app?

[nousernamespecified]

As many people have already pointed out, what may be very important to some people is perhaps not important to others or a problem for others. User experience is a very subejctive term and any company can only design for only so many percentage of users. I definitely fall under the category who do not want that feature. I think it's safe to say that you and I both fall under the opposite extremes of this use case. Most people would probably fall under 'don't care'.

If I understand what you are saying correctly, you want the contact suggestions to appear in your dialer app as you fuzzy type the phone number. (I guess you have contacts stored in multiple languges and regular search doesn't work for you?) I NEVER do that. The only time I use dialer is when a contact does not already exist in my list. And if that's the case, I actually do not want a list of suggestions that I always know would be incorrect. And if I know a contact already exists, I would never start typing their phone number. Because I use only one language, I simply search them. And you don't even have to open any app for that. Just drag down spotlight and search. It does the same T9 search for you by phone or by number.

But I understand how this may not work in your case. You and I both are minorty here.

 

[FurbyUK]

I would tell you guys that more than 1 billion people on Android are using this feature everyday.

Source??

 

[FurbyUK]

Guys did you ever use T9? Yeah maybe you used like for a 5 minutes, Of course for the first time you will think that there is no need of this function. But if you will use it for a long time, believe me you will like this function. First time when I took iPhone I was also thinking that there is no need of it, but when I came to Samsung I really loved T9, now I came back to iPhone, I am really missing that function, it will help in the situation in which you need to dial fast to the any person, it is better just write first letters of the persons name rather than searching it in the contacts

I used it for years on old dumbphones. Since moving to a smartphone I've never needed it. I can type much faster on a full keyboard. Even Moreso now with quick type. With the example of the OP's rare example, T9 is redundant, unless you're reluctant to embrace change and progress.

 

[Abu_Khulzat]

As many people have already pointed out, what may be very important to some people is perhaps not important to others or a problem for others. User experience is a very subejctive term and any company can only design for only so many percentage of users. I definitely fall under the category who do not want that feature. I think it's safe to say that you and I both fall under the opposite extremes of this use case. Most people would probably fall under 'don't care'.

If I understand what you are saying correctly, you want the contact suggestions to appear in your dialer app as you fuzzy type the phone number. (I guess you have contacts stored in multiple languges and regular search doesn't work for you?) I NEVER do that. The only time I use dialer is when a contact does not already exist in my list. And if that's the case, I actually do not want a list of suggestions that I always know would be incorrect. And if I know a contact already exists, I would never start typing their phone number. Because I use only one language, I simply search them. And you don't even have to open any app for that. Just drag down spotlight and search. It does the same T9 search for you by phone or by number.

But I understand how this may not work in your case. You and I both are minorty here.

I also use only one language for contacts, but the issue is that I have 4 other languages for normal typing. So whenever I pull down for a spotlight, I will have to switch to the language that my contacts are written in.

In dialer I don't have to have that headache, because it always searches in default language that you have set.

 

[Abu_Khulzat]

Source??

http://m.androidcentral.com/google-says-there-are-now-14-billion-active-android-devices-worldwide

Every Android device has this feature on its dialer. So every one using Android uses it everyday.

 

[Abu_Khulzat]

I used it for years on old dumbphones. Since moving to a smartphone I've never needed it. I can type much faster on a full keyboard. Even Moreso now with quick type. With the example of the OP's rare example, T9 is redundant, unless you're reluctant to embrace change and progress.

It is redundant for, but not for more than 1.4 b people

 

[FurbyUK]

I also use only one language for contacts, but the issue is that I have 4 other languages for normal typing. So whenever I pull down for a spotlight, I will have to switch to the language that my contacts are written in.

In dialer I don't have to have that headache, because it always searches in default language that you have set.

Have you tried the suggestion of giving contacts the nickname using characters in your default keyboard? Like I have a mate called 'Roux' and I added a nickname of 'Roo' so Siri would pick up phonetically, this would work for your situation.

 

[C DM]

It is redundant for, but not for more than 1.4 b people

To be fair, just because it might be there (given that it might not be there in all the variations of Android) it doesn't mean by far that everyone or even the majority use it, care about it, or even know about it.

That said, there are all kinds of Android vs iOS differences, even down to some basic things like what is customizable or something else like that, and yet iOS has nene had those options because Apple has their own view of things (just like Google has theirs) when it comes to their OS.

 

[FurbyUK]

http://m.androidcentral.com/google-says-there-are-now-14-billion-active-android-devices-worldwide

Every Android device has this feature on its dialer. So every one using Android uses it everyday.

That doesn't say anything about 1.4b using T9......

 

[Abu_Khulzat]

Have you tried the suggestion of giving contacts the nickname using characters in your default keyboard? Like I have a mate called 'Roux' and I added a nickname of 'Roo' so Siri would pick up phonetically, this would work for your situation.

Man, I can't give a nickname to so many people )))

 

[FurbyUK]

Man, I can't give a nickname to so many people )))

So, you're given a solution that's going to work and you don't want to do it?! Why bother then? T9 is never coming to iPhone in the way you want. The demand isn't there,after 9 years, so either adapt or move to android if it's that much of an issue.

 

[C DM]

Do you guys read before posting? I told that since you can't make the third party dialer app a default one, using it doesn't solve the issue. Even Apple "doesn't like" to have apps that duplicate functions of an existing one. So it's much better to have one app for calling instead of two or three.

You mentioned the default part before, but does that get in the way much? You put the dialed of choice into your dock instead of Apple's Phone and launch it whenever you want to use the phone functionality, right? Whether or not it's the default doesn't seem like it would affect things as far as how you'd need/want to use them, would it?

 

[Abu_Khulzat]

To be fair, just because it might be there (given that it might not be there in all the variations of Android) it doesn't mean by far that everyone or even the majority use it, care about it, or even know about it.

That said, there are all kinds of Android vs iOS differences, even down to some basic things like what is customizable or something else like that, and yet iOS has nene had those options because Apple has their own view of things (just like Google has theirs) when it comes to their OS.

Yeah I completely agree with you in this. However, both platforms are getting more and more close to each other in terms of features. Why? Because users are demanding it.
There are not many people here who switched from Android, or simply most of people IMHO here are from countries with one or two languages, or at least their different languages share the Latin alphabet. Therefore for them it is not that big deal.

 

[Abu_Khulzat]

So, you're given a solution that's going to work and you don't want to do it?! Why bother then? T9 is never coming to iPhone in the way you want. The demand isn't there,after 9 years, so either adapt or move to android if it's that much of an issue.

It will come, I am sure. It's just the matter if time. Apple gives it's customers features in portions. iPhone already many features that Android had for long time. This will be there too

 

[foxconn]

why not just go to the contacts portion and type in the name of the person you want to call?

 

[Abu_Khulzat]

You mentioned the default part before, but does that get in the way much? You put the dialed of choice into your dock instead of Apple's Phone and launch it whenever you want to use the phone functionality, right? Whether or not it's the default doesn't seem like it would affect things as far as how you'd need/want to use them, would it?

When you receive a missed call, you will have to open default dialer to clear the badge. When you click a phone number in some other app, default dialer will be launched. So you have to be using two different inconsistent interfaces .
Interface consistency is one of the major thing that pulls me to iPhone

 

[C DM]

It will come, I am sure. It's just the matter if time. Apple gives it's customers features in portions. iPhone already many features that Android had for long time. This will be there too

I would certainly not expect it and perhaps would even barely hope for it. Much more sought out and used features that have been requested by many more for much longer time are still not there.

Apple is about having their vision and going with it as well as seeing what would appeal to more of their typical customers, and this doesn't seem like it would fall into either of those categories really.

In fact, Apple usually wants to move away from things that they see as some sort of older way of doing things--I mean they just removed the headphone jack completely, something that is used by way more people much more often.
[doublepost=1474817321][/doublepost]

When you receive a missed call, you will have to open default dialer to clear the badge. When you click a phone number in some other app, default dialer will be launched. So you have to be using two different inconsistent interfaces .
Interface consistency is one of the major thing that pulls me to iPhone

Well, in one case you are launching it to clear a badge, so you aren't really doing anything with it short of launching it. In the other case it gets launched as part of calling so again you aren't really doing anything with it as you are just placing a call from another app--since the in-call experience is still the same no matter what and isn't related to the dialer anyway.

It seems like these are minor occasional annoyances at best that would be far outweighed by the supposed usefulness of a dialer that supports T9.

 

[FurbyUK]

It will come, I am sure. It's just the matter if time. Apple gives it's customers features in portions. iPhone already many features that Android had for long time. This will be there too

No, it won't. It's been 9 years and there's not enough demand. Over the years, I've seen a couple of threads about T9 and it tends to be the same 8 or 9 people. If they were going to have done it, it would have been when they gave the option for customisable keyboards. If you really do think Apple are going to bring this, you are being daft.

You've been given a solution that would help, but you can't be bothered or make more complaints about a little inconvenience. It just seems like you don't actually want any help.

 

[FurbyUK]

I would certainly not expect it and perhaps would even barely hope for it. Much more sought out and used features that have been requested by many more for much longer time are still not there.

Apple is about having their vision and going with it as well as seeing what would appeal to more of their typical customers, and this doesn't seem like it would fall into either of those categories really.

In fact, Apple usually wants to move away from things that they see as some sort of older way of doing things--I mean they just removed the headphone jack completely, something that is used by way more people much more often.
[doublepost=1474817321][/doublepost]
Well, in one case you are launching it to clear a badge, so you aren't really doing anything with it short of launching it. In the other case it gets launched as part of calling so again you aren't really doing anything with it as you are just placing a call from another app--since the in-call experience is still the same no matter what and isn't related to the dialer anyway.

It seems like these are minor occasional annoyances at best that would be far outweighed by the supposed usefulness of a dialer that supports T9.

The OP clearly doesn't want any actual solution, and doesn't get that T9 is ever coming, so it's a lost cause in convincing them otherwise.

 

[jpn]

lack of T9 support was the main reason I did not buy any iPhone until iPhone 5.

as Abu_Khulzat has pointed out several times, nothing beats T9 for one-handed operation.

and, there is also data to show that T9 still is the quicker input method (although not by much now).

in this thread one poster mistakenly seems to think that you need to press the 2 key three times to get "c". not true. predictive T9 allows you to press (or swipe on a touch keyboard) the 2 key once and go on to the next letter then the next, etc, and it figures out your word. its amazing.

Abu: back in 2012 or so I remember reading that what really stopped T9 from being adopted by apple was the original T9 development company simply wanted to license the software to all companies with no exclusivity. apple doesnt have a good track record of just licensing non-essential tech that is available to everywhere.
(but, what IS very apple, is maybe it could have actually bought the originating company just to take the tech off the market from being able to reach android devices...)

anyway, this issue has so many related issues to it: pen input vs finger, etc etc.
now with apple pencil apple is thinking in a broader way about input, and maybe if it were now, it would have been able to have used T9 instead of trying to market superiority of its own ideas about input method (which was very much the way it was before in the early days of iPhone).

Abu: give up on this one. the train has already left the station.

and finally, thanks for switching from Samsung to apple. you'll love it after a while.
its different to be sure from android. my best advice is to get a mac laptop (if you don't have one already), apple's best feature is really about its products working well together. in terms of interface, and things android can do its probably neck and neck now. jailbreaking is not so much needed anymore. and for security of your info etc, apple really is the only game in town.

 

[Small White Car]

I am sure, when Apple releases this feature, all you will find it to be very attractive. Apple just keeps something for the future. When they exhaust their imagination in innovation, they will add theses kind of features telling "look how much better iPhone is now".

I'm sorry, but there is ZERO chance that Tim is going to get up on stage, admit that Siri and Car Play just aren't working out, and that they're finding new and exciting ways to take drivers' eyes back off the road.

I understand you want this feature, but even you yourself admitted you want it for driving. There's just no way Apple sees that as a marketable pitch.

 

[Abu_Khulzat]

No, it won't. It's been 9 years and there's not enough demand. Over the years, I've seen a couple of threads about T9 and it tends to be the same 8 or 9 people. If they were going to have done it, it would have been when they gave the option for customisable keyboards. If you really do think Apple are going to bring this, you are being daft.

You've been given a solution that would help, but you can't be bothered or make more complaints about a little inconvenience. It just seems like you don't actually want any help.

Guys, all the suggestions that you gave, I know about them and tried them already. As I told in the beginning, this is one of the features that keep me from abandoning Android. So it is important for, although I can leave without it. I just want to be a cause of a change. Even if it doesn't come to iOS, there is not big issue. Just don't take things to personally. Allple is not your life, it is a company that wants money, that's it

 

[Abu_Khulzat]

lack of T9 support was the main reason I did not buy any iPhone until iPhone 5.

as Abu_Khulzat has pointed out several times, nothing beats T9 for one-handed operation.

and, there is also data to show that T9 still is the quicker input method (although not by much now).

in this thread one poster mistakenly seems to think that you need to press the 2 key three times to get "c". not true. predictive T9 allows you to press (or swipe on a touch keyboard) the 2 key once and go on to the next letter then the next, etc, and it figures out your word. its amazing.

Abu: back in 2012 or so I remember reading that what really stopped T9 from being adopted by apple was the original T9 development company simply wanted to license the software to all companies with no exclusivity. apple doesnt have a good track record of just licensing non-essential tech that is available to everywhere.
(but, what IS very apple, is maybe it could have actually bought the originating company just to take the tech off the market from being able to reach android devices...)

anyway, this issue has so many related issues to it: pen input vs finger, etc etc.
now with apple pencil apple is thinking in a broader way about input, and maybe if it were now, it would have been able to have used T9 instead of trying to market superiority of its own ideas about input method (which was very much the way it was before in the early days of iPhone).

Abu: give up on this one. the train has already left the station.

and finally, thanks for switching from Samsung to apple. you'll love it after a while.
its different to be sure from android. my best advice is to get a mac laptop (if you don't have one already), apple's best feature is really about its products working well together. in terms of interface, and things android can do its probably neck and neck now. jailbreaking is not so much needed anymore. and for security of your info etc, apple really is the only game in town.

Thanks for you good advice!

 

[jpn]

you're welcome my friend.

 

[FurbyUK]

as Abu_Khulzat has pointed out several times, nothing beats T9 for one-handed operation.

I used T9 for 6 years and was quick with it, but I can easily type faster one handed on a full keyboard than I ever could with predictive T9.

Guys, all the suggestions that you gave, I know about them and tried them already. As I told in the beginning, this is one of the features that keep me from abandoning Android. So it is important for, although I can leave without it. I just want to be a cause of a change. Even if it doesn't come to iOS, there is not big issue. Just don't take things to personally. Allple is not your life, it is a company that wants money, that's it

You said that you hadn't tried my suggestion because you couldn't be bothered, now you're saying you've tried it? I know my suggestion works, as I use it for a similar situation.

Also, why going off on a random tangent saying we're taking it personally? That's irrelevant and incorrect, we're not taking it personally.