The Multitap method is currently the standard text entry method found on the vast majority of phones. Letters are allocated to 8 of the number buttons. For instance the three letters A, B & C are all allocated to the 2 button. Press it once for A, twice for B and three times for C.
The allocation of the letters to the number buttons is based on a system created a hundred years ago that was used to help telephone operators remember telephone exchange codes. It is arranged alphabetically so letters are easy to find.
Pressing a number button cycles through the possible letters. For instance on the 2 button after ABC comes number 2 then accented variations of A & C arriving finally at Ç after twelve presses. If you miss the correct letter it is necessary to cycle through all the letters again.
When the next letter of a word is on the same number button a delay is needed before pressing to indicate the start of a new letter, to avoid cycling to another letter. Over half of all common words require at least one delay!
The problem with Multitap is the multi! The most frequently used letters ('a', 'e', 'i', 'n', 'o', 'r', 's' and 't') constitute two thirds of normal usage, yet some of these require three or even four taps.
Multitap is laborious and slow. On average typing words using multitap means around twice as many taps as there are letters in the message.
Textra requires just one tap for every letter.
Whilst multitap requires pauses between letters in more than half of common words, with Textra there is no need for any delay.
No pauses between letters makes Textra faster still.
Multitap requires at least five taps and up to twelve taps to enter a single accented letter, but with Textra, every accented letter requires just one double action.
Feature comparison |
Multitap |
Textra |
|---|---|---|
| Taps for letters A-Z | 1 - 4 | 1 |
| Taps for accented letters | 5 - 12 | 2 |
| Taps for numbers | 4 - 5 (or hold) |
1 |
| Pause within word (for letters on the same key) | > 50% | Never |
| Layout | Alphabetic | Alphabetic & Vowels |
