diff --git a/src/io/github/sspanak/tt9/ui/main/keys/SoftBackspaceKey.java b/src/io/github/sspanak/tt9/ui/main/keys/SoftBackspaceKey.java
index e9a8e267..4a3196e2 100644
--- a/src/io/github/sspanak/tt9/ui/main/keys/SoftBackspaceKey.java
+++ b/src/io/github/sspanak/tt9/ui/main/keys/SoftBackspaceKey.java
@@ -2,15 +2,10 @@ package io.github.sspanak.tt9.ui.main.keys;
 
 import android.content.Context;
 import android.util.AttributeSet;
-import android.view.MotionEvent;
-import android.view.View;
 
 import io.github.sspanak.tt9.Logger;
-import io.github.sspanak.tt9.preferences.SettingsStore;
 
 public class SoftBackspaceKey extends SoftKey {
-	private SettingsStore settings;
-	long lastBackspaceCall = 0;
 
 	public SoftBackspaceKey(Context context) {
 		super(context);
@@ -24,52 +19,23 @@ public class SoftBackspaceKey extends SoftKey {
 		super(context, attrs, defStyleAttr);
 	}
 
-	private SettingsStore getSettings() {
-		if (settings == null) {
-			settings = new SettingsStore(getContext());
-		}
-
-		return settings;
+	@Override
+	final protected boolean handlePress() {
+		return handleHold();
 	}
 
 	@Override
-	final public boolean onTouch(View view, MotionEvent event) {
+	final protected boolean handleHold() {
 		if (tt9 == null) {
 			Logger.w(getClass().getCanonicalName(), "Traditional T9 handler is not set. Ignoring key press.");
 			return false;
 		}
 
-		int action = event.getAction() & MotionEvent.ACTION_MASK;
-
-		if (action == MotionEvent.AXIS_PRESSURE) {
-			handleHold();
-		} else if (action == MotionEvent.ACTION_UP) {
-			handleUp();
-		} else if (action == MotionEvent.ACTION_DOWN) {
-			// Fallback for phones that do not report AXIS_PRESSURE, when a key is being held
-			handlePress(-1);
-		}
-
-		return true;
-	}
-
-	private void handleHold() {
-		if (System.currentTimeMillis() - lastBackspaceCall < getSettings().getSoftKeyRepeatDelay()) {
-			return;
-		}
-
-		handlePress(-1);
-
-		long now = System.currentTimeMillis();
-		lastBackspaceCall = lastBackspaceCall == 0 ? getSettings().getSoftKeyInitialDelay() + now : now;
-	}
-
-	private void handleUp() {
-		lastBackspaceCall = 0;
+		return tt9.onBackspace();
 	}
 
 	@Override
-	final protected boolean handlePress(int b) {
-		return tt9.onBackspace();
+	final protected boolean handleRelease() {
+		return false;
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/io/github/sspanak/tt9/ui/main/keys/SoftKey.java b/src/io/github/sspanak/tt9/ui/main/keys/SoftKey.java
index 60366490..3ed3d14f 100644
--- a/src/io/github/sspanak/tt9/ui/main/keys/SoftKey.java
+++ b/src/io/github/sspanak/tt9/ui/main/keys/SoftKey.java
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ package io.github.sspanak.tt9.ui.main.keys;
 
 import android.content.Context;
 import android.graphics.Typeface;
+import android.os.Handler;
+import android.os.Looper;
 import android.text.SpannableStringBuilder;
 import android.text.Spanned;
 import android.text.style.RelativeSizeSpan;
@@ -16,11 +18,17 @@ import io.github.sspanak.tt9.Logger;
 import io.github.sspanak.tt9.R;
 import io.github.sspanak.tt9.ime.TraditionalT9;
 
-public class SoftKey extends androidx.appcompat.widget.AppCompatButton implements View.OnTouchListener {
+public class SoftKey extends androidx.appcompat.widget.AppCompatButton implements View.OnTouchListener, View.OnLongClickListener {
 	protected TraditionalT9 tt9;
+
 	protected float COMPLEX_LABEL_TITLE_SIZE = 0.55f;
 	protected float COMPLEX_LABEL_SUB_TITLE_SIZE = 0.8f;
 
+	private boolean hold = false;
+	private boolean repeat = false;
+	private final Handler repeatHandler = new Handler(Looper.getMainLooper());
+
+
 	public SoftKey(Context context) {
 		super(context);
 	}
@@ -33,6 +41,7 @@ public class SoftKey extends androidx.appcompat.widget.AppCompatButton implement
 		super(context, attrs, defStyleAttr);
 	}
 
+
 	public void setTT9(TraditionalT9 tt9) {
 		this.tt9 = tt9;
 	}
@@ -50,25 +59,82 @@ public class SoftKey extends androidx.appcompat.widget.AppCompatButton implement
 	protected void onFinishInflate() {
 		super.onFinishInflate();
 		getRootView().setOnTouchListener(this);
+		getRootView().setOnLongClickListener(this);
 	}
 
 	@Override
 	public boolean onTouch(View view, MotionEvent event) {
 		super.onTouchEvent(event);
 
-		if ((event.getAction() & MotionEvent.ACTION_MASK) == MotionEvent.ACTION_UP) {
-			return handlePress(view.getId());
+		int action = (event.getAction() & MotionEvent.ACTION_MASK);
+
+		if (action == MotionEvent.ACTION_DOWN) {
+			return handlePress();
+		} else if (action == MotionEvent.ACTION_UP) {
+			preventRepeat();
+			if (!repeat) {
+				return handleRelease();
+			}
+			repeat = false;
 		}
 
 		return false;
 	}
 
-	protected boolean handlePress(int keyId) {
+	@Override
+	public boolean onLongClick(View view) {
+		hold = true;
+
+		// sometimes this gets called twice, so we debounce the call to the repeating function
+		repeatHandler.removeCallbacks(this::repeatOnLongPress);
+		repeatHandler.postDelayed(this::repeatOnLongPress, 1);
+		return true;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * repeatOnLongPress
+	 * Repeatedly calls "handleHold()" upon holding the respective SoftKey, to simulate physical keyboard behavior.
+	 */
+	private void repeatOnLongPress() {
+		if (tt9 == null) {
+			Logger.w(getClass().getCanonicalName(), "Traditional T9 handler is not set. Ignoring key press.");
+			hold = false;
+			return;
+		}
+
+		if (hold) {
+			repeat = true;
+			handleHold();
+			repeatHandler.removeCallbacks(this::repeatOnLongPress);
+			repeatHandler.postDelayed(this::repeatOnLongPress, tt9.getSettings().getSoftKeyRepeatDelay());
+		}
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * preventRepeat
+	 * Prevents "handleHold()" from being called repeatedly when the SoftKey is being held.
+	 */
+	protected void preventRepeat() {
+		hold = false;
+		repeatHandler.removeCallbacks(this::repeatOnLongPress);
+	}
+
+	protected boolean handlePress() {
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	protected boolean handleHold() {
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	protected boolean handleRelease() {
 		if (tt9 == null) {
 			Logger.w(getClass().getCanonicalName(), "Traditional T9 handler is not set. Ignoring key press.");
 			return false;
 		}
 
+		int keyId = getId();
+
 		if (keyId == R.id.soft_key_add_word) return tt9.onKeyAddWord();
 		if (keyId == R.id.soft_key_input_mode) return tt9.onKeyNextInputMode();
 		if (keyId == R.id.soft_key_language) return tt9.onKeyNextLanguage();
@@ -99,7 +165,7 @@ public class SoftKey extends androidx.appcompat.widget.AppCompatButton implement
 
 	/**
 	 * render
-	 * Sets the key label using "getKeyNameLabel()" and "getKeyFunctionLabel()" or if they both
+	 * Sets the key label using "getTitle()" and "getSubtitle()" or if they both
 	 * return NULL, the XML "text" attribute will be preserved.
 	 *
 	 * If there is only name label, it will be centered and at normal font size.
@@ -107,19 +173,19 @@ public class SoftKey extends androidx.appcompat.widget.AppCompatButton implement
 	 * have their font size adjusted to fit inside the key.
 	 */
 	public void render() {
-		String name = getTitle();
-		String func = getSubTitle();
+		String title = getTitle();
+		String subtitle = getSubTitle();
 
-		if (name == null) {
+		if (title == null) {
 			return;
-		} else if (func == null) {
-			setText(name);
+		} else if (subtitle == null) {
+			setText(title);
 			return;
 		}
 
-		SpannableStringBuilder sb = new SpannableStringBuilder(name);
+		SpannableStringBuilder sb = new SpannableStringBuilder(title);
 		sb.append('\n');
-		sb.append(func);
+		sb.append(subtitle);
 
 		sb.setSpan(new RelativeSizeSpan(COMPLEX_LABEL_TITLE_SIZE), 0, 2, Spanned.SPAN_INCLUSIVE_INCLUSIVE);
 		sb.setSpan(new StyleSpan(Typeface.ITALIC), 0, 2, Spanned.SPAN_EXCLUSIVE_INCLUSIVE);
diff --git a/src/io/github/sspanak/tt9/ui/main/keys/SoftNumberKey.java b/src/io/github/sspanak/tt9/ui/main/keys/SoftNumberKey.java
index 86a84de8..e67c937e 100644
--- a/src/io/github/sspanak/tt9/ui/main/keys/SoftNumberKey.java
+++ b/src/io/github/sspanak/tt9/ui/main/keys/SoftNumberKey.java
@@ -26,13 +26,26 @@ public class SoftNumberKey extends SoftKey {
 		super(context, attrs, defStyleAttr);
 	}
 
-	protected boolean handlePress(int keyId) {
+	@Override
+	protected boolean handleHold() {
+		if (tt9 == null || tt9.getSettings().getInputMode() != InputMode.MODE_123 || getId() != R.id.soft_key_0) {
+			return super.handleHold();
+		}
+
+		preventRepeat();
+		int zeroCode = Key.numberToCode(0);
+		tt9.onKeyLongPress(zeroCode, new KeyEvent(KeyEvent.ACTION_DOWN, zeroCode));
+		return true;
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	protected boolean handleRelease() {
 		if (tt9 == null) {
 			Logger.w(getClass().getCanonicalName(), "Traditional T9 handler is not set. Ignoring key press.");
 			return false;
 		}
 
-		int keyCode = Key.numberToCode(getNumber(keyId));
+		int keyCode = Key.numberToCode(getNumber(getId()));
 		if (keyCode < 0) {
 			return false;
 		}
@@ -43,6 +56,58 @@ public class SoftNumberKey extends SoftKey {
 		return true;
 	}
 
+	@Override
+	protected String getTitle() {
+		return String.valueOf(getNumber(getId()));
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	protected String getSubTitle() {
+		if (tt9 == null) {
+			return null;
+		}
+
+		int number = getNumber(getId());
+
+		if (number == 0) {
+			if (tt9.getSettings().getInputMode() == InputMode.MODE_123) {
+				return "+";
+			} else {
+				COMPLEX_LABEL_SUB_TITLE_SIZE = 1;
+				return "␣";
+			}
+		}
+
+		// no special labels in 123 mode
+		if (tt9.getSettings().getInputMode() == InputMode.MODE_123) {
+			return null;
+		}
+
+		// 1
+		if (number == 1) {
+			return ",:-)";
+		}
+
+		// 2-9
+		int textCase = tt9.getSettings().getTextCase();
+		Language language = LanguageCollection.getLanguage(tt9.getSettings().getInputLanguage());
+
+		if (language == null) {
+			Logger.d("SoftNumberKey.getLabel", "Cannot generate a label when the language is NULL.");
+			return "";
+		}
+
+		StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
+		ArrayList<String> chars = language.getKeyCharacters(number, false);
+		for (int i = 0; i < 5 && i < chars.size(); i++) {
+			sb.append(
+				textCase == InputMode.CASE_UPPER ? chars.get(i).toUpperCase(language.getLocale()) : chars.get(i)
+			);
+		}
+
+		return sb.toString();
+	}
+
 	private int getNumber(int keyId) {
 		if (keyId == R.id.soft_key_0) return 0;
 		if (keyId == R.id.soft_key_1) return 1;
@@ -57,44 +122,4 @@ public class SoftNumberKey extends SoftKey {
 
 		return -1;
 	}
-
-	@Override
-	protected String getTitle() {
-		return String.valueOf(getNumber(getId()));
-	}
-
-	@Override
-	protected String getSubTitle() {
-		if (tt9 == null || tt9.getSettings().getInputMode() == InputMode.MODE_123) {
-			return null;
-		}
-
-		int number = getNumber(getId());
-		int textCase = tt9.getSettings().getTextCase();
-		Language language = LanguageCollection.getLanguage(tt9.getSettings().getInputLanguage());
-
-		if (language == null) {
-			Logger.d("SoftNumberKey.getLabel", "Cannot generate a label when the language is NULL.");
-			return "";
-		}
-
-		if (number == 0) {
-			COMPLEX_LABEL_SUB_TITLE_SIZE = 1;
-			return "␣";
-		}
-
-		if (number == 1) {
-			return ",:-)";
-		}
-
-		StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
-		ArrayList<String> chars = language.getKeyCharacters(number, false);
-		for (int i = 0; i < 5 && i < chars.size(); i++) {
-			sb.append(
-				textCase == InputMode.CASE_UPPER ? chars.get(i).toUpperCase(language.getLocale()) : chars.get(i)
-			);
-		}
-
-		return sb.toString();
-	}
 }
diff --git a/src/io/github/sspanak/tt9/ui/main/keys/SoftPunctuationKey.java b/src/io/github/sspanak/tt9/ui/main/keys/SoftPunctuationKey.java
index afe6228b..aab414c0 100644
--- a/src/io/github/sspanak/tt9/ui/main/keys/SoftPunctuationKey.java
+++ b/src/io/github/sspanak/tt9/ui/main/keys/SoftPunctuationKey.java
@@ -21,12 +21,28 @@ public class SoftPunctuationKey extends SoftKey {
 		super(context, attrs, defStyleAttr);
 	}
 
-	protected boolean handlePress(int keyId) {
+	@Override
+	protected boolean handleHold() {
+		if (tt9 == null || tt9.getSettings().getInputMode() != InputMode.MODE_123) {
+			return super.handleHold();
+		}
+
+		preventRepeat();
+		int keyId = getId();
+		if (keyId == R.id.soft_key_punctuation_1) return tt9.onText(",");
+		if (keyId == R.id.soft_key_punctuation_2) return tt9.onText(".");
+
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	protected boolean handleRelease() {
 		if (tt9 == null) {
 			Logger.w(getClass().getCanonicalName(), "Traditional T9 handler is not set. Ignoring key press.");
 			return false;
 		}
 
+		int keyId = getId();
 		if (tt9.getSettings().getInputMode() == InputMode.MODE_123) {
 			if (keyId == R.id.soft_key_punctuation_1) return tt9.onOtherKey(KeyEvent.KEYCODE_STAR);
 			if (keyId == R.id.soft_key_punctuation_2) return tt9.onOtherKey(KeyEvent.KEYCODE_POUND);
@@ -40,8 +56,11 @@ public class SoftPunctuationKey extends SoftKey {
 
 	@Override
 	protected String getTitle() {
-		int keyId = getId();
+		if (tt9 == null) {
+			return "PUNC";
+		}
 
+		int keyId = getId();
 		if (tt9.getSettings().getInputMode() == InputMode.MODE_123) {
 			if (keyId == R.id.soft_key_punctuation_1) return "✱";
 			if (keyId == R.id.soft_key_punctuation_2) return "#";
@@ -52,4 +71,15 @@ public class SoftPunctuationKey extends SoftKey {
 
 		return "PUNC";
 	}
+
+	@Override
+	protected String getSubTitle() {
+		int keyId = getId();
+		if (tt9 != null && tt9.getSettings().getInputMode() == InputMode.MODE_123) {
+			if (keyId == R.id.soft_key_punctuation_1) return ",";
+			if (keyId == R.id.soft_key_punctuation_2) return ".";
+		}
+
+		return null;
+	}
 }