Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
I hate the soft lock switch less than I thought I would.
- Thread starter Crosbie
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Mmm I feel the same way. Took me a couple of days to retrain myself but after that all good. Seriously who needs a mute switch? It's easier to hold the down vol button than getting a nail in to the case to use the switch.
anjinha
macrumors 604
If you're watching a movie or playing music flipping the switch will silence all notifications but leave the sound of the video/music playing. Holding down the volume button will silence all sound.
I couldn't figure out why I had no sounds, my orientation lock was on when I updated from 3.2.2 to 4.2
The new mute button, if I flip it, while listening to Pandora, the sound is still there. But not in Angry Birds. If I flip the mute button in that game, no sound. I thought the mute button is supposed to mute ALL sound, no???
anjinha
macrumors 604
The mute switch is supposed to mute sounds like notifications (maybe game sounds too, I'm not sure). The reason it works like that is so that you can watch a video or listen to music without having stuff like Mail or Push notifications beeping over it. Particularly with AirPlay this is very useful.
Anjinha is right.
The Human Interface Guidelines say that games sounds and alerts are silenced, but user initiated sound, like music, and movies continue to play. This lets users play games or use apps with their own music in the background.
That is why the hardware mute switch is different than just holding the volume button down for a few seconds.
The Human Interface Guidelines say that games sounds and alerts are silenced, but user initiated sound, like music, and movies continue to play. This lets users play games or use apps with their own music in the background.
That is why the hardware mute switch is different than just holding the volume button down for a few seconds.
Okay, and I see that. But this seems very much like it should be a software feature rather than the job of a switch on the side of a device like the iPad.
It's such a nonsensical change that the only reason I can think of for making it is that they've now fixed the design for iPad v.2, and they've cut the switch from it.
@Kobra: Yep, pretty silly. But that sequence isn't all that difficult to do, and it isn't that much of a sacrifice. It's just patently pointless given the current hardware.
This seems like it will be confusing to the general user. For instance, you start a video playing and need to mute for a second to listen to someone or something, so you hit the "mute" switch. Why doesn't the sound go quiet? Shouldn't that be the entire point of a "mute" switch?
Really wish Apple would just let us configure the switch in settings. In fact, I would like if the switch could toggle between using the current volume switch for either volume and brightness.
Really wish Apple would just let us configure the switch in settings. In fact, I would like if the switch could toggle between using the current volume switch for either volume and brightness.
Night Spring
macrumors P6
Exactly. Not to mention that, if someone doesn't keep up with tech news, which would be, like, the majority of users, and one day they get a pop-up in iTunes saying there's a firmware update, they install it, and all of a sudden the lock orientation switch seemingly does... nothing! I can see a flood of tech support calls and genius appointments.
Amazing Iceman
macrumors 603
What we could use most is a "Push Notification" Switch. A way to quickly turn off all push notifications and popups.
This is necessary when showing a presentation, watching a movie or giving a lecture, etc.
This is necessary when showing a presentation, watching a movie or giving a lecture, etc.
Well, not nothing... rather, a misleading graphic of the volume symbol with a cross through it - very much indicating full mute!
Incidentally, if you then push volume up, it displays exactly as it does when you 'unmute' - but of course the device is still 'muted' and the switch still switched!
Night Spring
macrumors P6
Oh, dear. That's a nightmare. Is that how it works on the iPhone too? Is this somehow less confusing when it's on a phone?
Just looked at my gf's iPhone: the symbols are different (a bell for the notifications, with a strikethrough for when you're muting them); and the word 'ringer' appears above the volume icon when you change volume using the rocker switch whilst at the home screen, to indicate what volume setting you're changing. Considerably clearer. And so much for 'consistency'...
Night Spring
macrumors P6
Yup! The iPad isn't a phone, and obviously that part of its OS wasn't designed with phone functions in mind. Oh, well...
Personally I never used this swtch with 3.2 or 4.2 GM.... BUT my opinion is they should have left it as a screen lock.
Applenewstoday
macrumors regular
I hated it at first, but now That I know it mutes notification sounds, I love it! Now I cam listen to music without a stupid sound dimming the music. Although I would like it to be switched in the multitasking bar with the rotation lock, but I'll get used to it...
I like the mute switch. It's hard to fall asleep when you're hearing push notifications every few minutes. I used to have to unlock the iPad to shut it up.