(Image courtesy of 9to5Mac)

Apple giveth, but sometimes Apple taketh away -- case in point, the iPad’s orientation lock switch, which is being converted back to the mute switch it was originally intended to be with the forthcoming iOS 4.2. But what if we like our current hardware-based orientation lock switch? Tough bananas, says Steve Jobs.

9to5Mac is reporting that fans of the iPad’s current hardware-based orientation lock switch may not be so happy after November’s iOS 4.2 update. Apple made it clear that the orientation lock switch would be going back to what it was first intended to do: function as a mute switch, like all other iOS devices do.

That was the original function of the switch when Apple first announced the iPad back in January, then for some unknown reason, the mute switch was changed to be a hardware orientation lock switch instead -- a move that many first lamented but once everyone actually used the iPad, it made complete sense.

Go figure that Apple has now decided it should go back to the way things originally were with next month’s iOS 4.2 update -- only now, many iPad users like the hardware orientation lock and aren’t ready to commit to the software-only way used in iOS 4.2. That has led many to believe that Apple may offer a software solution to have the best of both worlds, allowing the user to decide which method they prefer.

9to5Mac reader Robert sent an e-mail query to Apple CEO Steve Jobs, asking “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?” Jobs responded as he often does with a simple, “Yep.”

Robert pressed on, replying “Are you planning to make that a changeable option?” -- to which Jobs firmly stated, “Nope.”

Color us among the sad faces being drawn at this very moment over this news, but maybe all the other goodies in iOS 4.2 will quickly make us forget about it…

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