(Not so) Hidden iPhone Feature
Posted on: 10 October 2010
If, like me, you often find yourself reading an article on your iPhone in bed, it can be a little annoying when you're on your side and the iPhone's accelerometer tries to compensate by changing the orientation and going into horizontal mode. For about 2 months now I've put up with it, assuming it was a feature Apple have chosen to lock down, with Jailbreaking being the only option. And after 5 minutes of Googling, it looked to be so.
But it seems as of iOS 4.0, Apple have provided an option (albeit, a rather hidden one) to lock the iPhone into portrait orientation mode. Perfect for when you're on your side reading an article and you don't fancy straining to read text on the screen at an obscure 90-degree angle.
If, like me, you had no idea this option existed then wonder no more. Here's a step-by-step:
- Double-click the menu button to bring up with the quick-view menu*
- Swipe to the left, bringing up the control menu**
- On the right is the iPod button, in the middle are controls for the iPod, and the furthest left button is the gem you're looking for.
- Press it to toggle between the locked and unlocked portrait orientation mode.
* I have no idea if this is the official name
** Again, who knows how official this terminology is
A hardly life-saving snippet, but for me, a rather useful one to know.