The Mute/Orientation Lock switcharoo - WHYYY?!

[owen-b]

There are now four ways to alter the volume on my iPad.

1) Mute switch #1, on the side of the device, previously Orientation Lock.
2) Volume up/down #1, right next to Mute Switch #1
3) Mute Switch #2, by holding down the volume rocker (right next to Mute Switch #1 and requires the exact same amount of effort, if not less)
4) Volume up/down #2, in the app tray.

And to some extent, 5) Inside the iPod app and other music/video player apps.

There is only one, comparatively fiddly way way to lock or unlock the orientation, something I do in practice significantly more often than wanting to mute the iPad:

- double click Home
- swipe
- tap Lock
- tap screen or click Home

I presume it was done to unify the hardware controls between iOS devices but it ignores the differing use cases of each device. I need to lock the orientation of my iPad way more than I need to mute it, and I need to mute my iPhone way more than I need to lock the orientation.

It's such a small thing but it grossly impacts usability of the device, the very reason I love Apple's design decisions usually. All they need to do is add a custom setting to the Settings app for that switch and the problem goes away...

 

[iPhone1]

I'm sure they will see the light and issue a firmware update eventually. Or they'll do whatever they want. I'm going with the latter.

 

[Amazing Iceman]

You are not alone on this concern, that's why you'll find a lot of threads talking about this. Maybe if you look for them before creating a new thread, you'll get better responses, as I'm sure a lot of people are already tired of talking about this same topic over and over.

I ran into a thread that is putting together an 'official' request to Apple to give us a choice setting on how to use that controversial iPad button. Sorry I don't have the link, but if you search for it, you should be able to find it easily.

 

[owen-b]

You are not alone on this concern, that's why you'll find a lot of threads talking about this. Maybe if you look for them before creating a new thread, you'll get better responses, as I'm sure a lot of people are already tired of talking about this same topic over and over.

I ran into a thread that is putting together an 'official' request to Apple to give us a choice setting on how to use that controversial iPad button. Sorry I don't have the link, but if you search for it, you should be able to find it easily.

Oh my God, I'm *so* sorry. What a major embarrassment. Eeek! Explains why I was refreshing the thread wondering why nobody agreed, going into the kitchen to make a cup of tea to cry into, then coming back to discover still no responses and idly wondering if I should order that book on suicide I heard that Amazon sell.

 

[Scartissue]

I'm actually kind of pro the switch to the switch.

When I first got the ipad I found I was relying on the lock function because in all kinds of situations it would be misjudging what orientation I wanted it in. It ended up that pretty much at all times, the ipad would be locked to something.

maybe im just more used to it now, but since the lock button got taken out, I haven't had the same issues with the screen getting confused and insisting on being held a certain way for a particular purpose. It seems the right kind of sensitive now. A 4.2 app I use has replied greatly improved sensitivity, so maybe this can be put down to some better use of the accelerometer.

Remember at the announcement when they said 'there's no right way to hold the iPad'? Well, now that I'm not locking into one orientation or another all the time, that feels a lot more true.

Basically, I know it shouldn't, but this feels a lot more comfortable. But that might just be the cool-aid talking.

 

[Amazing Iceman]

Oh my God, I'm *so* sorry. What a major embarrassment. Eeek! Explains why I was refreshing the thread wondering why nobody agreed, going into the kitchen to make a cup of tea to cry into, then coming back to discover still no responses and idly wondering if I should order that book on suicide I heard that Amazon sell.

Please don't order that book. I'm sure we all need you to sign that petition.
Have a tea and enjoy it. Didn't mean to be rude.

 

[bentrider]

Not a fan either. I used to keep mine locked in landscape all the time because I use with a Zoo Gue case propped at an angle. Then I'd just flick the switch and relock it to Portrait when I was reading a book. I think I've played something audibly on the iPad speakers maybe six times since I've owned it. Don't see Mute ever being a priority.

 

[Crosbie]

I feel confident that this will be the last thread that is made on this matter.

 

[thirtyeyes]

I hope there are many more threads. I really disllike this decision. The new mute buttons doesn't even mute music or videos just system noises. What's next? Another button that only mutes text messages but allows email sounds to come through?

I'm not very high on how iPad does multi-tasking either and my iPad seems to be running slower on 4.2.

Anyone else think all that double clicking is going to wear out the button much faster?

 

[anjinha]

I hope there are many more threads. I really disllike this decision. The new mute buttons doesn't even mute music or videos just system noises. What's next? Another button that only mutes text messages but allows email sounds to come through?

I'm not very high on how iPad does multi-tasking either and my iPad seems to be running slower on 4.2.

Anyone else think all that double clicking is going to wear out the button much faster?

The point of the mute button only muting notifications is that if you're watching a video or listening to music you can flick it and you won't have mail sounds or push notifications playing over it. This is specially useful if you're using it with Airplay.

 

[thirtyeyes]

I get it. I just don't like it. On the plus side, I usually turn all those noises off in settings, so that'll make this easier just once. And now I get to have a lot of fun doing the double click, swipe, tap, tap thing. If I say it someone will say the opposite, but I suspect that people who read or surf the internet in bed are the ones who really find this annoying. People who take their iPad's to work are the ones who seem to like the new mute.

 

[Mapmonkey]

Oh my God, I'm *so* sorry. What a major embarrassment. Eeek! Explains why I was refreshing the thread wondering why nobody agreed, going into the kitchen to make a cup of tea to cry into, then coming back to discover still no responses and idly wondering if I should order that book on suicide I heard that Amazon sell.

I guess it's become a bit frustrating for some here because it been well commented on, since the beta and GM releases. So lots of folk already knew it was coming, even if they (myself included) didn't like it.

It's amazing what they sell on Amazon these days make me a cuppa while your at it I miss my tetleys out here.

 

[steezy1337]

I was hoping after the update to 4.2.1 I could try leaving my iPad jailbreak free due to a few instabilities I had but it's already driving me up the wall! There's a jailbreak app that I use on my iPhone that defaults the multitasking bar to go to the orientation lock and iPod controls after double clicking which is a semi-sufficient compromise but I'm really hoping that a dev will simply reverse the mute switch back to it's original function.

 

[Lord Egregious]

I didn't ever use the orientation lock that much but when I did use it, I was showing something to people like photos or the like and needed to switch it on and off quick. I can understand them changing it but man just leave the option deep in the settings somewhere so nobody can get confused which I'm sure is why they left the option out.

I'm sure they've already confused a lot of regular folks with the change.