Apple plans to introduce a completely new mouse, says Bloomberg’s Apple reporter.
Apple introduced its Magic Mouse in 2009. Adobe Stock / AOP
Financial publication Bloomberg’s Apple reporter Mark Gurman says that Apple is planning a replacement for the Magic Mouse introduced in 2009. According to Gurman, the most mocked feature of the mouse will be changed at the same time.
A rechargeable version of the Magic Mouse was introduced in 2015, replacing the previous model that ran on two AA batteries. However, few features of an Apple product have received as much ridicule as the second-generation Magic Mouse’s charging solution; the mouse cannot be used and charged at the same time.
The reason for this is that the charging port of the mouse is located at the bottom. In order to get more power into the mouse, it must be turned upside down or at least on its side. This solution has been an inexhaustible source of memes for almost a decade. The ergonomics of the low glass-surfaced stick have also been praised year after year.
However, the problem is not as big as you might suddenly imagine, because just a couple of minutes of charging gives the mouse several hours more power.
In online discussions, it has been speculated that Apple made charging inconvenient so that the mouse would not be kept constantly charging and thus weaken its battery. Others think that the reason for the strange solution is Apple’s forward-thinking design. The location of the charging port at the bottom of the mouse has made it possible to keep the device as a symmetrical stick like the original.
In November, Apple updated the Magic Mouse to support USB-C, which is the universal charging standard required by the EU. The previous version was charged via Apple’s own Lightning connector.
The story continues below the picture.
Magic Mouse’s charging solution isn’t particularly convenient. Ville Järveläinen
Brand new mouse coming
Gurman says in his newsletter that Apple is planning a completely new mouse. The mouse is in the prototype stage, and according to Gurman, it may take the company a year and a half or even longer before it has anything ready to present.
According to Gurman, Apple’s next mouse will be both more modern and “relevant” to today’s users. He says that the meaning of the mouse has changed to some extent with, among other things, the proliferation of touch screens. When the Magic Mouse was introduced in 2009, for example, the iPad didn’t exist yet, and the iPhone had only been on the market for a couple of years.
In connection with the update, Gurman says that Apple will also abandon the controversial charging solution.
How the new Magic Mouse – or whatever it’s called – will change compared to the current one, Gurman can’t say at this stage. It remains to be seen whether Apple will try to compete with, for example, Logitech and other device manufacturers’ more ergonomic, multi-purpose and customizable solutions.