Apple may soon release new versions of the Magic Mouse, Magic Keyboard, and Magic Trackpad, according to code found in the iOS 18.1 release candidate...
Apple has been updating all of its devices to replace Lightning with USB-C, and all of those accessories currently use Lightning for recharging purposes. Apple could also move the port location on the Magic Mouse, as the Lightning port located on the bottom of the device has long been a subject of ridicule.
I recall reading the Magic Mouse was deliberately charged in a way that would prevent it from ever being used when it had a cord, to keep the image of Mac products being wireless and minimalist was still a thing. It could fix the ridicule if it had wireless charging via mousepad charger.
When I first got my Magic Mouse back around 2018, I swear I could use it while it charged. At the very least the touch surface still functioned but I vaguely recall being able to use the edge of my desk to try it to track. Somewhere along the way they disabled it from connecting while charging.
Tbf the placement of the charging port is wild. I get it charges really quick but still, it’s literally the most inconvenient place they could have put it.
And yet this is what happens with the wireless keyboard. Doesn’t seem to have crippled Apple the way leaving the mouse plugged in supposedly would. It’s smart to allow users to choose how best to use their own property.
I leave my wireless keyboard plugged into the studio display so that when I switch machines, the keyboard still works for and switches instantaneously.
I wish they would finally make the switching easier. Logitech and others have long added simple switches. Apple could have a different “magic” mechanism, whatever, as long as I don’t have to constantly replug cables.
I have to ask, how far away do you like to be from your computer because I’ve never seen the advantage of a wireless keyboard and mouse. They just sit in front of the screen all the time, It’s not like I’m going to take them to the coffee shop or something.
Depends on how many devices you have, for example I use the keyboard on my iPad instead of having an iPad keyboard case. I leave the keyboard plugged into the studio display as mentioned in another post to allow for me to quickly switch between devices that use that display and the keyboard instantly switches between them because it’s plugged in. I use a plugged in Anker vertical mouse as well because, there’s no interference.
The M1 Mac Studio computer itself sits about 3 feet away from my desk along with all of the other components connected to it, the thunderbolt cable that connects to the Studio Display is the only thing that comes to the desk.
what you or I do is not really relevant, clearly lots of people do see the value in wireless devices. and lots of people do take wireless mice along with their laptops on the go.
They about 1 inch away from their laptop screens. What I’m saying is I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone actually use the wireless functionality of a wireless mouse in any way other than being within the same reach of a cable connection
I would love to jump on that bandwagon, but they sound so fucking awful. I’ll pick my Audio-Technica gear with the awkward Bluetooth every time; not that I use the Bluetooth while listening to music but it sure would be nice to have something on Apple’s level of wireless for meetings and audio quality in one package.
I had AirPod Max from 2020 forward and I have several pairs for Family. What I’ve found is that any replacement ear cushions that are sold on the market degrade sound quality considerably, active noise cancellation is also degraded, so you must be careful what type of modifications are done. In addition, Apple’s ear cushions bleed, sound, so there are Silicon covers that you can get that make a better seal around your ear, and the sound to me is identical to the AirPods Pro Gen 2 USB-C.
By the way, I can hear in both the AirPods Pro and the AirPods Max, the two stage of noise cancellation, the first stage, and then the sampling and the second stage of noise cancellation. The H1 chip processes this slower than the H2 chip however.
iFixIt group said the upgrade to USB-C for AirPods Max have a slight change to the amount of adhesive used around the components within the earcup, some of this may be due to prevention of any type of condensation, which may or may have never caused an issue in the past. They also noted that there was a different type of adhesive used to seal the speaker.
I think I’m talking about the speakers and codecs themselves. I always try them in the Apple Store with high hopes but the audio is blatantly compressed: it sounds “tinny” while lows and mids come out poorly reproduced.
I know that with Bluetooth there is limited bandwidth, so even with high quality source files it’s always going to be (re-)encoded with AAC. Apple ditched aptX which is a shame, because at least the quality was much higher than AAC.
I use an AudioQuest DragonFly while listening to music, and it’s clunky for sure but I don’t want to be forced to use Bluetooth and compression.
TLDR:
Apple has been updating all of its devices to replace Lightning with USB-C, and all of those accessories currently use Lightning for recharging purposes. Apple could also move the port location on the Magic Mouse, as the Lightning port located on the bottom of the device has long been a subject of ridicule.
I recall reading the Magic Mouse was deliberately charged in a way that would prevent it from ever being used when it had a cord, to keep the image of Mac products being wireless and minimalist was still a thing. It could fix the ridicule if it had wireless charging via mousepad charger.
Wow interesting this actually makes sense considering Apple always makes weird design decisions like that
When I first got my Magic Mouse back around 2018, I swear I could use it while it charged. At the very least the touch surface still functioned but I vaguely recall being able to use the edge of my desk to try it to track. Somewhere along the way they disabled it from connecting while charging.
Tbf the placement of the charging port is wild. I get it charges really quick but still, it’s literally the most inconvenient place they could have put it.
that was likely the entire point, to stop people from leaving it plugged in all the time.
And yet this is what happens with the wireless keyboard. Doesn’t seem to have crippled Apple the way leaving the mouse plugged in supposedly would. It’s smart to allow users to choose how best to use their own property.
I leave my wireless keyboard plugged into the studio display so that when I switch machines, the keyboard still works for and switches instantaneously.
I wish they would finally make the switching easier. Logitech and others have long added simple switches. Apple could have a different “magic” mechanism, whatever, as long as I don’t have to constantly replug cables.
they may have decided it’s not as important for a keyboard because you’re not constantly moving it around your workspace like a mouse.
I have to ask, how far away do you like to be from your computer because I’ve never seen the advantage of a wireless keyboard and mouse. They just sit in front of the screen all the time, It’s not like I’m going to take them to the coffee shop or something.
Depends on how many devices you have, for example I use the keyboard on my iPad instead of having an iPad keyboard case. I leave the keyboard plugged into the studio display as mentioned in another post to allow for me to quickly switch between devices that use that display and the keyboard instantly switches between them because it’s plugged in. I use a plugged in Anker vertical mouse as well because, there’s no interference.
The M1 Mac Studio computer itself sits about 3 feet away from my desk along with all of the other components connected to it, the thunderbolt cable that connects to the Studio Display is the only thing that comes to the desk.
what you or I do is not really relevant, clearly lots of people do see the value in wireless devices. and lots of people do take wireless mice along with their laptops on the go.
Oh yeah I’ve seen them.
They about 1 inch away from their laptop screens. What I’m saying is I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone actually use the wireless functionality of a wireless mouse in any way other than being within the same reach of a cable connection
And kill the battery, since it doesn’t like 100% 24/7
hurry up with the AirPods Max please.
AirPods Max have USB C now though?
oh I guess I missed that.
Well other than that though nothing else has changed except colors! So we get to sit another year or more with an aged out product
yeah I was hoping for some upgrades/tweaks along with USBC :/ oh well.
I would love to jump on that bandwagon, but they sound so fucking awful. I’ll pick my Audio-Technica gear with the awkward Bluetooth every time; not that I use the Bluetooth while listening to music but it sure would be nice to have something on Apple’s level of wireless for meetings and audio quality in one package.
I had AirPod Max from 2020 forward and I have several pairs for Family. What I’ve found is that any replacement ear cushions that are sold on the market degrade sound quality considerably, active noise cancellation is also degraded, so you must be careful what type of modifications are done. In addition, Apple’s ear cushions bleed, sound, so there are Silicon covers that you can get that make a better seal around your ear, and the sound to me is identical to the AirPods Pro Gen 2 USB-C.
By the way, I can hear in both the AirPods Pro and the AirPods Max, the two stage of noise cancellation, the first stage, and then the sampling and the second stage of noise cancellation. The H1 chip processes this slower than the H2 chip however.
iFixIt group said the upgrade to USB-C for AirPods Max have a slight change to the amount of adhesive used around the components within the earcup, some of this may be due to prevention of any type of condensation, which may or may have never caused an issue in the past. They also noted that there was a different type of adhesive used to seal the speaker.
I think I’m talking about the speakers and codecs themselves. I always try them in the Apple Store with high hopes but the audio is blatantly compressed: it sounds “tinny” while lows and mids come out poorly reproduced.
I know that with Bluetooth there is limited bandwidth, so even with high quality source files it’s always going to be (re-)encoded with AAC. Apple ditched aptX which is a shame, because at least the quality was much higher than AAC.
I use an AudioQuest DragonFly while listening to music, and it’s clunky for sure but I don’t want to be forced to use Bluetooth and compression.