System controls on multitasking tray in iOS 4.2 beta for iPad showing screen orientation lock
One of the text notes accompanying AppAdvice's video walkthrough of the new iOS 4.2 for iPad suggests that the physical switch on the iPad's side for locking the screen orientation has been repurposed as a mute switch. The change has been confirmed by posters in our forums.
With the change, screen orientation locking is now accomplished within the multitasking tray as on the iPhone under iOS 4. Interestingly, the switch had been originally planned to be a mute switch but was repurposed as an orientation lock as revealed in publicity materials published just weeks before the device's launch.
iPad external buttons and controls: originally-announced (left) and as-released (right)
It is unknown whether Apple had originally planned for iOS 4 to be available for the iPad in time to its initial launch so as to support multitasking tray-based screen orientation locking, or if the changes over time have simply been adjustments to fluctuating priorities and development of new software solutions for certain tasks.
Friday November 6, 2026 3:27 pm PST by Juli Clover
When the iPhone Duo launched, we shared a list of some of the fun apps developers created for the new form factor. Two weeks out, developers are continuing to come up with fresh ideas, so we thought we'd share some of our favorites.
Games
Marbles Unhinged ($2.99) - Marbles Unhinged is a marble maze designed for the Duo. When you fold it, the floor turns into a ramp. If you stand the top...
Thursday November 5, 2026 12:59 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple is launching five new products on Friday, November 6, following pre-orders that opened last week, including its first touchscreen MacBook Pro models.
The following new products will be available from today:
iPad mini with OLED display and A20 Pro chip
iMac with M6 chip
14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 chip
14-inch MacBook Pro with OLED touchscreen
16-inch MacBook Pro with OLED...
Apple plans to merge the iPhone's Action button with the Camera Control starting next year, according to the leaker known as "Instant Digital."
In a new post on Weibo, the leaker claimed that a single press of the combined button would open the camera, while a long press would trigger the function assigned to the Action button. They explicitly clarified that the dedicated Action button would ...
