Soft Keys
Soft Keys are buttons whose function changes depending on the context. They typically use part of the display to identify their current function. Because of this, they are usually located directly adjacent the display.
Soft keys are common on feature phones without touch screens. Smartphones generally have touch screens, and therefore don't need soft keys.
For example, it is common for basic phones to have two soft keys, located directly below the main display. At any given moment, the function of each soft key is indicated by corresponding text on the display. In the example in the photo, pressing the left soft key will activate the camera, while pressing the right soft key will open the contacts list. When the phone is in a different mode, the two soft keys have different functions.
Last updated Jul 13, 2012 by Rich Brome
Editor in Chief Rich became fascinated with cell phones in 1999, creating mobile web sites for phones with tiny black-and-white displays and obsessing over new phone models. Realizing a need for better info about phones, he started Phone Scoop in 2001, and has been helming the site ever since. Rich has spent two decades researching and covering every detail of the phone industry, traveling the world to tour factories, interview CEOs, and get every last spec and photo Phone Scoop readers have come to expect. As an industry veteran, Rich is a respected voice on phone technology of the past, present, and future.
