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Mute/Lock switch, would you have kept it or removed it?

  • I would have kept it on the iPad Air 2.

    Votes: 43 68.3%
  • I would have removed it from the iPad Air 2.

    Votes: 20 31.7%

  • Total voters
    63
Keep it. I use it all the time to stop the screen from rotating. Much quicker than doing it from Control Center, especially since I can't seem to get the hang of flicking up to pull it up.

Also, I don't think my mom and my boss would ever learn how to pull up the CC. It's the simplest thing to show them how to use the physical switch, but if something isn't visible, they just don't remember it's there.
 
I used it and am not going to dismiss its worth, but it's actually quicker to use the Control Centre shortcut so I'm not going to feel its loss.
 
They probably removed it because they couldn't fit the physical mechanism in an enclosure that thin.

However, if I made the call I would have kept it the same thickness and let it have more battery life. Then amazed everyone next year that it's thinner with the same battery life (more efficient A9X chip, LPDDR4, etc). But then again I'm just some idiot on a forum.
 
I am one of maybe few people who miss it. Maybe it's not as often used as the other button but it's not a pain to have it in there. Hardware button is not that bad. It's not a hindrance at all and it's rarely get faulty unlike home button or power button.

Maybe if the OS allows, can even add more functionality to it like turn on/off flashlight.
 
I see no advantage to taking it away. It wasn't affecting anyone in anyway if they didn't use it, but enriched the experience for people who did use it.

They have dual microphones now, as if I'm going to carry my iPad around my neck with a strap for a tourist camera.


That's now to say I haven't used my iPad to take a picture on a moments notice when my phone wasn't within reach, but dual microphones should not have taken priority over a switch.

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But then again I'm just some idiot on a forum.


Aren't we all. :D
 
I used it and am not going to dismiss its worth, but it's actually quicker to use the Control Centre shortcut so I'm not going to feel its loss.

It's quicker if you have the device out. If you have the device in your bag, a drawer, etc., it's easier to flick the switch. I've had times where my ipad has gotten an alert and I don't want to hear another one, but I'm not actively using it. This is a bigger deal now with calls and texts going to the ipad.

IMO it's not much of an inconvenience (it barely registers, IMO), but I'd be nice if they could have kept it.
 
I feel that the switch did not really have a purpose, especially if left set on the volume side of things. Switching it to mute didn't mute everything, only notifications that you hardly receive on iPads. If it muted the device completely that could be a different story. I would be very upset if the switch disappeared on my iPhones, but never used the switch on the iPad, besides to just make sure it was working.
 
They have dual microphones now, as if I'm going to carry my iPad around my neck with a strap for a tourist camera.

I think the dual mics are for better sound on facetime (or other) calls and videos. I know with headsets companies do this so that they can better filter ambient noise and provide a more lifelike voice to the person on the other end of the call.
 
I think the dual mics are for better sound on facetime (or other) calls and videos. I know with headsets companies do this so that they can better filter ambient noise and provide a more lifelike voice to the person on the other end of the call.

That's certainly plausible, but they could have found another place for it instead of where the switch belongs. I'm sure that's now why they left it out, but still...
 
That's certainly plausible, but they could have found another place for it instead of where the switch belongs. I'm sure that's now why they left it out, but still...

I'd've thought they could've moved the switches down a millimeter or two and had enough room for the mic above them, instead of removing the mute switch and moving the volume switches up. But what do I know? I'm not an engineer. *shrugs*
 
Keep it. I use it all the time to stop the screen from rotating. Much quicker than doing it from Control Center, especially since I can't seem to get the hang of flicking up to pull it up.
Same here. I use the control center a lot for turning wifi on/off and adjusting display brightness but it's not always easy to flick up when you've got the keyboard and input areas and whatnot on the bottom of the screen. I'm definitely going to miss the physical switch for quick rotation lock. :confused:

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However, if I made the call I would have kept it the same thickness and let it have more battery life. Then amazed everyone next year that it's thinner with the same battery life (more efficient A9X chip, LPDDR4, etc). But then again I'm just some idiot on a forum.
I certainly would have preferred a bigger battery than a thinner device. Caveat, if they significantly increased battery life in this iteration, they'll probably have a hard time matching it in the next iteration (diminishing returns and all that). :)
 
I feel that the switch did not really have a purpose, especially if left set on the volume side of things. Switching it to mute didn't mute everything, only notifications that you hardly receive on iPads. If it muted the device completely that could be a different story. I would be very upset if the switch disappeared on my iPhones, but never used the switch on the iPad, besides to just make sure it was working.

I only used it for lock rotation, not muting.
 
I have an iPad 3 and never realized it was there until I accidentally muted a few weeks ago. Lol I don't care one way or the other.
 
never use it. but it doesn't bother me either, so i think they should have left it for the people who do.
 
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