[Trainer-talk] iPad Air 2 Lock/Mute Switch is gone

[David Goldfield]

People who are familiar with iOS devices and who might be considering
purchasing the new iPad Air 2 should know that the handy, nifty switch
for muting the device or locking the screen orientation is gone. You can 
still
perform these functions but they need to be done via software. I am so
used to flipping down that switch to mute my iPhone before I teach a
class or enter a church that I'd have a hard time getting used to not
doing that. What would be nice is if Apple could implement an option
where you would locate it from the status line at the top of the screen,
maybe to the immediate left or right of where the time is displayed.
Does anyone know how you mute the iPad via the software?
Here's the article about this from Apple Insider ...

Apple's iPad Air 2Apple's iPad Air 2 eschews physical orientation lock
switch in favor of software control
By Mikey Campbell
A lot of attention has been paid to the iPad Air 2's slimmed-down
design, but one of the most striking changes — the removal of the
orientation lock/mute switch — is a significant evolution in Apple's
design philosophy.

When Apple's marketing chief Phil Schiller took the stage on Thursday to
give a rundown of the new iPad Air 2, he touted the tablet's thinness,
Touch ID and battery life, but glossed over the fact that the
orientation lock switch normally flanking the tablet's volume buttons
has been deleted.

Schiller made no mention of the switch's disappearance even when that
particular area was highlighted to show off a much improved rear-facing
iSight camera. Instead, he pointed out the iPad Air 2's dual microphones
that offer high-fidelity audio recording, one of which is positioned in
the exact location of where the switch used to be. The original iPad Air
also featured a two-mic setup.

This particular design change was first seen in June with a supposed
iPad Air 2 dummy unit, then again in subsequent parts leaks. Some
publications were so set on the traditional iPad design, they refused to
entertain the idea that Apple would do away with the switch, speculating
instead that the mic port was a "pilot hole" to be bored out later in
the production process.

Apple first introduced the physical toggle as a carryover from the
iPhone's mute control, but extended functionality to include locking the
tablet's screen orientation. When using the device in portrait mode, for
example, a user may lie down or reposition themselves, which results in
an unexpected switch to landscape orientation. The switch prevented this
from happening.

While earlier versions of iOS included a software setting that allowed
users to map orientation lock/mute controls to the physical switch, it
was only with the introduction of iOS 7's Control Panel that the option
became readily accessible. Instead of digging into the Settings menu,
users can now simply swipe up on any screen and tap a button to lock in
portrait or landscape views.

Although the iPad Air 2 design change was left unexplained, it can be
assumed that Apple finds the software controls to be just as effective
as a physical switch. Also, by getting rid of the external control,
Apple has removed a moving part from the iPad's design, reducing the
potential for hardware failures.

The change is likely not an issue for new users, but could take some
getting used to for longtime iPad owners.

For now, it appears only the iPad Air 2 is taking on the design tweak,
as the switch remains on Apple's new iPad mini 3. It should be noted
that the latest iPad mini release includes only internal component
enhancements, the addition of Touch ID and a new gold color option, not
a redesigned chassis. eschews physical orientation lock switch in favor
of software control

-- 

      David Goldfield,
Assistive Technology specialist
---------

Visit my Web site
http://www.davidgoldfield.info

Feel free to visit my LinkedIn profile
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/david-goldfield/12/929/573

visit my blog
http://davidgoldfield.wordpress.com

Follow me on Twitter
http://www.twitter.com/davidgoldfield