Mobile Devices: Changing Screen Orientation While Walking

Has your iPhone ever changed its screen's orientation while you were walking, even though you didn't actually turn the device? Ever since upgrading to 3.0, it happens to me all the time. It never happened with earlier versions of the iPhone's operating system.

In earlier versions, Apple temporarily turned off screen orientation changes when the iPhone detected that it was moving. With the most recent updates, Apple has removed or toned down this feature. Check out this movie:

Left/Bottom: iPod running 2.2.1. Middle: Android device. Right/Top: iPhone running 3.1.

As you can see, the iPod running the old version of the operating system refuses to change screen orientation while it is still moving. It won't accidentally change its screen orientation while you are walking. The other two devices will happily change screen orientation.

And just to prove that the devices behave the same when there is no shaking involved:

I have no idea why Apple changed this, but I liked the old behavior much better.