The Apple Core

Jason D. O'Grady & David Morgenstern

Groking Airplane Mode on the iPad 3G

By David Morgenstern | June 1, 2010, 1:19pm PDT

A recent Apple support note a describes the vagaries of Airplane Mode on the iPad 3G. It asks us to “understand” the mode better, which is a good thing, since its use is not a totally-on, totally off situation, depending on your flight.

Of course, when you invoke Airplane Mode, all communications are cut off, including cellular, WiFi, Bluetooth and GPS signals. You might think that was that, but depending on the flight, Apple lets you restore some connections while still maintaining the Airplance Mode: WiFi and Bluetooth.

If allowed by the aircraft operator and applicable laws and regulations, you can re-enable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth while in airplane mode:

Wi-Fi: While airplane mode is on, tap Settings > Wi-Fi, then turn Wi-Fi on and choose a Wi-Fi network.
Bluetooth: While airplane mode is on, tap Settings > General > Bluetooth, then turn Bluetooth on.

The user interface of this feature appears a bit counter-intuitive to me, since Airplane Mode says to me that all communications are cut. Perhaps the icon should change.

The note says that you can use applications, such as Maps, but the GPS capability won’t work.

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Apple iPad, 3G, Airplane Mode, Wireless LANs, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Wireless And Mobility, David Morgenstern

David Morgenstern has covered the Mac market and other technology segments for 20 years.

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RE: Groking Airplane Mode on the iPad 3G

Yorgos Z 4th Jun 2010

I noticed the same behavior with the iPhone (tested with a 3Gs and OS 3.1.3).
When you turn on Airplane Mode, it shuts down phone, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth comunications. But you can then turn back on Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or both. You cannot turn back on the telephone.

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Simplest is best

oncall 1st Jun 2010

I've been on planes where I literally had to help people turn off their cell phones because they did not know how (ugh). It worries me that some of these same people will be trying to hook up their devices to wifi while in flight. So I think, whatever they choose, simplest is best. It seems counter-intuitive because it makes you turn everything off then reactivate select features. But that's exactly what you should be doing: turning everything off, then power down the device for take-off, then power on the device in-flight (with everything off) then reactivate select features as the airline allows. Most people should just stop after hitting the airplane mode button, that little airplane is pretty self-explanatory for most including the flight attendants.

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Wow, that sounds terribly unintuitive

NonZealot 1st Jun 2010

So it is in airplane mode... except for the wireless services that are actively transmitting.

Wonderful. Only the Apple zealots could possibly believe this was intuitive and a good thing.

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RE: Groking Airplane Mode on the iPad 3G

rabber 1st Jun 2010

@NonZealot

OK - so let me understand this. Using the little airplane thingy to turn off all wireless signals and then turning on only what you want/need is confusing. How? Most people don't understand which wireless signals should be turned off for take-off and landing. Never mind the fact that you want them to turn off each signal individually. Personally, I like to touch the little airplane thingy to turn off all of my wireless radios. If, for some reason, it is OK and I need it, I can turn on one of those signals and then turn it off.

Of course, I suppose that you would prefer an all or nothing approach - all of the radios on or all of them off. Maybe you could turn each radio on and off individually (at least three sets of steps) and then, when all of them are off, the little airplane comes on. If even one signal is broadcasting the airplane goes away.

Personally, I prefer fewer steps to the same goal. But then again, I am a lazy, good-for-nothing, non-intuitive idiot. How about you??

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Looking at your last paragraph...

zkiwi 1st Jun 2010

I'd say you beat him on all points, but what do I know, I'm smug and arrogant and have a cool accent...

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Look at the little airplane icon... what does it mean on the iPad?

NonZealot 1st Jun 2010

@rabber
If the airplane icon is showing on the iPad, what does it mean? Are all communications cut or did you accidentally turn one or two on?

The user interface of this feature appears a bit counter-intuitive to me, since Airplane Mode says to me that all communications are cut. Perhaps the icon should change.

On all other wireless devices, when you see the airplane icon, you know that it is not transmitting. With the iPad, you have to hunt through several layers of menus to figure out if you are actually not transmitting because Apple has just rendered the little icon absolutely useless.

I agree with David, change the icon. I'm sticking to what I said above:
So it is in airplane mode... except for the wireless services that are actively transmitting.

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I also want to reply to this point specifically

NonZealot Updated - 1st Jun 2010

@rabber
Maybe you could turn each radio on and off individually (at least three sets of steps) and then, when all of them are off, the little airplane comes on.

Just so we are clear, it isn't the turning on of the airplane mode that isn't intuitive. Every device works the way the iPad works to turn on airplane mode so no, this isn't an Apple innovation or anything. However, with every other device, if you then turn on a wireless setting, the airplane icon goes away. This makes the airplane icon intuitive on every device but the iPad.

Personally, I like to touch the little airplane thingy to turn off all of my wireless radios. If, for some reason, it is OK and I need it, I can turn on one of those signals and then turn it off.

Which is how every wireless device has worked for years. But they turn off the airplane icon if the device is transmitting anything. Not the iPad though. How confusing. How unintuitive. How Apple.
Personally, I prefer fewer steps to the same goal

How does the iPad require fewer steps than all the other wireless devices that have had an airplane mode for 10 years now? I'd love to hear this one.

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RE: Groking Airplane Mode on the iPad 3G

jphillips659 Updated - 2nd Jun 2010

iPhone and iPad do it the exact same way. Actually I much prefer the ability to turn on wifi - while still in airplane mode. If wifi is allowed on a plane - then it makes sense to be able to turn it on. Its very easy and intuitive in my opinion. People who do not understand this need to familiarize themselves with the settings. Simple. For instance - i want to use wifi, but not receive calls, or in the case of the ipad - transmit data through cellular 3g. Just turn on airplane mode, and then turn on wifi - simple. What's the big deal?? And as always when you first activate airplane mode it shuts down all communications - but still gives you the option of turning on wifi, or bluetooth when they are allowed and if you prefer to do so. Come on people - it's not that hard!

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Like my Windows mobile phone then?

NonZealot 2nd Jun 2010

@jphillips659
And as always when you first activate airplane mode it shuts down all communications - but still gives you the option of turning on wifi, or bluetooth when they are allowed and if you prefer to do so.

My Windows Mobile phone works exactly the same way, but it doesn't lie to you and tell you that the phone is in airplane mode when it clearly isn't. That is the problem, the iPad (and iPhone) are lying to you by showing you that airplane mode is on.

Like I said: So it is in airplane mode... except for the wireless services that are actively transmitting.

Absolutely counter-intuitive, confusing, and actually downright dangerous.

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RE: Groking Airplane Mode on the iPad 3G

Halberstadt 2nd Jun 2010

It's not confusing to me. When the airplane icon is on, the only wireless radios that are on are ones YOU specifically turned back on after invoking airplane mode. I'm surprised no one has noted that this also exactly the way airplane mode has always worked on the iPhone.

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potentially dangerous?

rockinwiththekwest 2nd Jun 2010

Sooooo....YOU are smart. YOU enable airplane mode, then enable wifi on a flight that allows is.
THEN you transfer planes to a flight that does NOT allow it.
The flight attendants don't ask you to put it into airplane mode cause it already shows it as on. You take off. You start using wifi. You crash.
Maybe they should change the icon to yellow to visually say "Exceptions" or something. Or change the icon to a pname going down. lol.

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This guy gets it!!

NonZealot 2nd Jun 2010

@rockinwiththekwest
Apple's implementation is no more efficient than anyone else's (I can enable airplane mode with 1 touch, then enable wireless with one touch) but only Apple's implementation is unintuitive and downright dangerous for exactly the scenario rockinwiththekwest outlined. Stupid Apple. Very stupid. And even dumber are those who apologize for this type of stupidity.