Apple Could Rotate the Rear Panel Logo on Upcoming iPad Models

Apple’s iPad could be redesigned with a small cosmetic change that affects the appearance of the rear panel of the company’s upcoming tablet models. A product designer at the Cupertino company recently told a publication that the company was considering switching its logo on the rear panel to a horizontal orientation, due to the increasing usage of the iPad in landscape mode. Recent versions of iPadOS also show the company’s logo in portrait and landscape mode when starting the device, depending on its orientation.

Apple Considering Landscape-oriented Logo

Numerama recently interviewed Apple product designer Molly Anderson, who said (translated from French) that the Apple logo — currently shown as upright in portrait mode — could eventually be rotated so that it appears upright when the tablet is used in landscape mode.

“We are thinking about it. The iPad has long been a product that can be used in portrait mode, but we are increasingly using it in landscape mode. We can’t say that it’s set in stone,” Anderson told the publication (translated from French) during the interview.

While this isn’t an official confirmation from Apple on plans to change the position or orientation of its logo on upcoming iPad models, it is rare to see an Apple employee make a statement like this, considering all responses are vetted by the company.

Other Signs that Apple is Prioritising Landscape Mode

It’s also worth noting that all of Apple’s current generation tablets — except for the iPad Mini — now have the front-facing camera located on the longer edge of the device so that it is in line with a user’s face when in landscape mode. In addition to taking video calls, users could also attach their iPad to one of the company’s keyboards (or third-party options) that would also place the tablet in landscape mode.

MacRumors also points out that Apple began checking an iPad’s orientation before displaying the company’s logo in landscape mode or portrait mode when it is booted, with iPadOS 14.5, back in 2021. the iPad Mini and standard iPad models are up for a refresh, and it remains to be seen whether the company also modifies the orientation of its logo on its upcoming tablets.