Electronic – the difference between 4-leg and 2-leg momentary tactile switch?

switches

After many search, I don't know still that what is exactly the difference between 4-leg and 2-leg momentary tactile switch?

4-leg:

4-leg

4-leg

2-leg:

2-leg

2-leg

Why do they use 4-leg in many cases? for example, in mobile phones, in many cases, they use 4-leg. look:

enter image description here

Best Answer

Most people seem to think that the 4-leg tactile switches are made that way only to add mechanical strength, but Spehro Pefhany told us in this great answer that there is another, more important reason for the 4 terminals:

The dual shorted pins allow inexpensive single-sided boards to be used for X-Y matrices of switches without requiring jumpers.

In other words, the additional shorted terminals are meant to be used as jumpers.

X-Y matrices of switches

I have built one myself (see below). Those boards are a lot of fun to route.

Remote control schematics