Does the alphabet on the "phone" keypad make sense? --Why the iPhone can't be heard anymore?

The appeal and strength of the iPhone is that you can understand how to use it without reading the manual. However, there are times when you think you know it but you don't understand it correctly. In this section, we will explain in an easy-to-understand manner "why the iPhone can't be heard anymore". This time, I'll answer the question, "Does the alphabet on the" phone "keypad make sense?"

The iPhone's Phone app has a software keypad for dialing. Needless to say, you can tap this keypad to enter a phone number. However, the surface of the number keys except 1 is engraved with 1 to 4 letters of the alphabet. I don't use the alphabet for Japanese phone numbers, but this makes sense.

This alphabet is mainly due to circumstances within the United States. In the United States, the birthplace of telephones, initially only alphabets were used for IDs for calls, and they were gradually combined with numbers. Eventually, a mechanism was created to associate numbers with alphabets such as "ABC" for 2 and "DEF" for 3 ("1" is for long-distance telephones, so no alphabet is assigned), and the number keys engraved with the alphabet. You can now dial by pressing.

For example, the phone number of the US Apple Store is "800-692-7753", but it is also listed as "1-800-MY-APPLE" on the website. M is "6", Y is "9", A is "2" ... and if you tap the key with the alphabet corresponding to "MY APPLE" in order, you tap "800-7753" You will get the same result as.

This mechanism is also reflected in iOS. If you write a dialable character string such as "1-800-MY-APPLE" in an application such as "Memo" or "Mail", a link will be set automatically and a phone number consisting only of numbers. You can make a call by tapping in the same way as. It doesn't work with Japanese phone numbers, but it's a trick you can use when staying in the United States.