2010 the original iPad was introduced as a device primarily meant for portrait mode use. However, Apple has been adjusting its products as user behavior shifts. Initially, the iPad was marketed as a digital notepad and e-reader, with landscape mode primarily reserved for gaming and movie watching.
Apple’s design has recently treated landscape orientation as a secondary use case. Notably, the Lightning/USB-C port was placed at the bottom edge, the Apple logo was positioned on the back, and the start screen was tailored for portrait mode.
It wasn’t until the launch of iPadOS 14.5 that Apple acknowledged the increasing use of iPads with keyboards, adjusting the start screen to display the logo in landscape orientation when used with the Magic Keyboard or Smart Keyboard. However, this feature is only compatible with keyboards featuring the Smart Connector made by Apple.
The front-facing camera also saw a shift, moving to the long edge in the iPad 10 launched in late 2022. This change was subsequently implemented in the iPad Pro M4 and iPad Air M2.
Apple is further considering a design shift, possibly abandoning the “portrait” iPad in favor of “landscape.” This is evident in discussions about changing the logo on the back given the increasing use of iPads in the horizontal position.
In 2021, a leak suggested that Apple was working on a “horizontal camera position and a horizontally placed Apple logo on the back.” With the recent relocation of the camera, the leak seems to have been credible.
However, a concern remains about using the iPad in landscape mode with an external keyboard, as most keyboards and protective cases obscure the logo, making its orientation somewhat irrelevant.