This disclosure describes a conferencing apparatus with an automatically adapting beamforming microphone array for teleconferencing applications. The conferencing apparatus includes a processor coupled to memory, storage, and a housing. The apparatus further includes a communication element, a plurality of microphones arranged in the housing and configured as a beamforming microphone array, and an orientation sensor. Additionally, the apparatus includes executing a series of steps including: (a) adapting a signal-processing characteristic of the beamforming microphone array responsive to the orientation signal, (b) beamforming to combine the plurality of microphone signals to a plurality of combined signals, (c) performing an acoustic echo cancellation operation on the plurality of combined signals to generate a plurality of combined echo-canceled signals, and (d) selecting one or more of the plurality of combined echo-canceled signals for transmission.