FYI, the Airbus A320 (and many of the other Airbus aircrafts) doesn't have a yoke. It uses a "joystick":
More specifically, only the Airbus A300 and A310 is equipped with control wheels in the cockpit.
The A300 was the first Airbus model (and the first twin-engine widebody airplane by the way). The A310 was a further development of the A300. Airbus changed (not only) the cockpit design when developing a completely new airplane - the A320. This change included the replacement of control wheels with side sticks since then (and a full glass cockpit). So whenever you see a Airbus cockpit with control wheels it is either a A300 or A310. Most A300 cockpits are not converted to partial glass cockpits (they are analogue including a flight engineer panel). So you also can distinguish the A300 and A310 cockpits.
The picture you posted shows a A330 cockpit by the way. Airbus changed the cockpit design again when developing the A380 (and A350). Each Airbus cockpit between the A300/A310 and the A380 (and A350) looks almost similar - the A318/319/320/321, A330 and A340. You can tell the difference by the number of thrust levers (4 on the A340 of course) and additional brightness controls for the displays located on the lower left and lower right hand side of the glare shield on the A330 (vertically arranged).
Side stick in action:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4uHmvFbe7A
(first sound: auto pilot disconnection, second sound: autothrottle disconnection, black control whell on the left hand side: "tiller" for nosewheel steering during taxi and take off/landing roll)
A300/310 control wheel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxByRiSoElk&feature=player_detailpage#t=43
Ok thanks. Then the speed they were doing could make sense: At 13000 feet, assuming zero wind, if you fly at VMO (foir the A-320 should be 350 kts) your GS will be around 420 kts. At 10000 feet GS will be a little less but still in the range of 400 kts. The graph is showing they were doing about the same speeds descneding through those altitudes.
Still too fast. The general speed restriction, if not declared otherwise, usually is 250 knots below flight level 100.
The descent of flight 4U9525 currently makes non sense. In case of cabin pressure drop the cockpit crew would commence a descent but usually not descent below 10,000 feet MSL. Especially not above mountainous area. In case of an emergency descent they might lower the landing gear at or below 25,000 feet but the speed must be reduced to VLO which is (again) 250 knots (indicated airspeed).
A-N-C - aviate, navigate, communicate. Communication didn't happen as far was we know right now. I assume they either didn't have (full) control of the airplane or they where unconscious. The latter would be a result of contaminated cabin/cockpit air (or rapid depressurization). The former could be a result of issues with the flight augmentation/flight control computers (stall protection). Not unlikely.
The who are capable of educated guesses are reacting pretty harshly:
Multiple crews of Germanwings and Lufthansa in Düsseldorf and Stuttgart are refusing to fly. They mention that the aircraft was down on monday not just for routine maintenance, but also additionally for hours because of unknown technical problems, but was still cleared to fly.
That's bad. There was an incident in 2010 with Germanwings on a Airbus A319 (the only incident with Germanwings until today). Due to burnt smell the first officer even couldn't accomplish his duties. The pilot was able to land the airplane. Both donned their oxygen masks. The cause was never found...