iPad Air 2 iOS 10.2 screen rotation bug

Hi. Welcome to the club. Have you tried force quitting the Clinometer and restarting it, since that might get the sensor working again? And please report this to Apple here https://www.apple.com/feedback/ipad.html, being sure to mention your iPad Air 2.

Hello macki. Actually, this is not the screen rotation locking bug that's the subject of this thread. It's a different, widely reported, bug concerning the keyboard orientation on the search window. Some users see it upside-down, others sideways, like you. As you say, apparently it hasn't been fixed in iOS 10.3. Please report it to Apple here https://www.apple.com/feedback/ipad.html.

Hi virginia11. I'm surprised you've only just encountered it. Have you only recently updated to iOS 10?

You're the 100th different user reporting this in this forum, so congratulations may be in order. Please be sure to report it to Apple at this link: Feedback - iPad - Apple.

I have this same issue with my iPad Air running iOS 10.2.

I use a magnetic smart cover and 9 times out of 10 when I open the cover and wake the device it works fine, but occasionally it wont change orientation upon being woken up. When this happens my clinometer app shows no input.

Sometimes I have to reboot to restore the functionality, other times functionality will return after locking and unlocking multiple times, and sometimes functionality is restored if I lock the iPad and give it a couple of thuds (but that could just be coincidence).

This is a very annoying issue that affects my iPad Air 2 experience every 1 - 2 days, and sometimes multiple times a day!

I'm the 239th. Have reported.

Suggest everyone calls tech support and reports it as a fault, too. They'll log it (and tell you to report it via their Feedback Form (as you've helpfully provided).

This is my second Air 2, and the last one had rotation lock issues too. My new replacement is doing the same thing, so it definitely looks like an Apple software problem.

Either that, or every Air 2 out of the Foxconn factory in China is producing faulty devices.....if you put your serial number in Google, there are several sites that will identify where you device was made (DM=Foxconn), when it was made, and all of its specs.

Very handy for checking tech details, and other details like which factory produced it and how old it is.

WIll come back and post links if anyone wants them 🙂

Hi angel_153. I think it's definitely software. Apparently, it first surfaced in iOS 8, then went away. It reappeared in iOS 10.1.1. It seems to affect specifically the iPad Air 2, which has the M8 motion coprocessor, so it may be a bug in that firmware, not in iOS itself.

Thanks, Diana 🙂

I never understand why they are often so slow to identify and fix an obvious issue like this.

You'd think firmware and software issues would be as important to them as getting the hardware right.

The Air 2 I sent in because it had an endless list of problems was replaced. The engineers received it on a Thursday, took one look at it, and put it in for a replacement later that day, as it was deemed to be beyond hope.

Hoping that the charging breaks and the screen rotation on this replacement (which was only made at the beginning of March, according to the serial number info), aren't heralding the rest of the problems my previous Air 2 exhibited. It started exactly like this 😟 Both were made at the same factory (I think thrre are more than one that produce them).

If it is firmware or software causing this rotation lock, they can at least in theory fix that. Don't know what's taking them so long!

A

Because it's a little bit random, and may depend on other user activities, it's probably hard to reproduce. Also, it affects only one model, not the latest, so priority may be difficult. So it's important to file lots of complaints.

It's been over a year since 10.2 was first released and we're still experiencing this issue on 10.2.1. C'mon Apple, please get this fixed. Some of us rely on the Reduce Motion accessibility feature, but we also like our auto rotate to work. 

Ok, thanks. I have reported that like 10 times since iOS 10.0. Beyond this bug I also have the gyro and screen vorientation bug of the lock screen and home screen and apps that you can you vertical or horizontal

I'm starting to doubt if it's really only software issue since my iPad is stuck upside down and the mentioned app doesn't fix the proble. I'm terribly disappointed and annoyed. I just bought the device yesterday

Hi Meeglanc. The fundamental fix is to restart (reboot) the iPad, by holding the Sleep and Home buttons until you see the Apple, about 15 seconds. That should put things back to normal for a while. The other suggested dodges have worked for some users, some of the time.

When you have a chance, you should update to the current iOS, 10.3.2. That might help. See Settings > General > Software Update. Be sure you're on a reliable WiFi, and on the charger before starting.

Of course I'm using 10.3.2. Rebooting the way you say doesn't help. The ipad turns on with screen upside down. The only way I found is turning rotation sphere app and locking rotation. The moment I unlock it, my screen goes upside down again without even moving the device. Thanks for your help though. I'm just hoping iOS 11 will fix it If it's really software.

Regards

It does sound like you may have a hardware problem, since it reverts to one orientation. Since the device is new, you should return it, or at least have it checked. The other users reporting this problem only find that rotation locks up periodically, and rebooting unlocks it.

I've seen a suggestion that opening the Camera and rotating the device may make it work again. That might be easier than restarting.

Also, updating or restoring iOS using iTunes on a computer might fix it, where an OTA update over WiFi does not. You might remember this for the next update.