The iPad tablet shares the same buttons as the iDevices, i.e. the home button, the sleep/wake button, the volume buttons and a mute button whose function has been changed and in iOS 3.2.x it blocks the orientation of the iPad tablet screen. Well, starting with iOS 4.2 this function will change and the iPad tablet will have a physical Mute button, that is, that button for blocking the orientation will now be used to turn off the sound, just like any iDevice. You know very well that the orientation of the screen can be blocked using the multitasking menu in iOS 4.x, so that button no longer served its role, so Apple thought to return it to its "true" function, that is, the one to stop the sound.
Given that Apple can change button functions so easily in iOS, some they wondered if Apple couldn't introduce an option in iOS that would allow people to choose whether they want to use that button to lock the orientation or turn off the volume. Curiosity pushed him to send an e-mail to Steve Jobs and this is how the discussion went:
In IOS 4.2 for iPad is the switch on the side going to be the mute and not screen orientation lock from now on?
And Steve's answer:
Yep.
Sent from my iPhone
Followed by a new question:
Are you planning to make that a changeable option?
And a new, equally dry answer:
nope.
So blocking the orientation of the screen by means of a physical button will no longer be a feature of the iPad tablet, and as Steve Jobs says, the change will be permanent.
