iMac2021: Apple Forgot to Fix the worst Thing about Magic Mouse

iMac2021: Apple Forgot to Fix the worst Thing about Magic Mouse

Last night, Apple surprised the world with a slew of new products, including the colorful iMac 2021, and while Magic Mouse 2 will also come in these colors, it will also keep one of its dumbest design choices: the charging port is on the bottom side.

This means that Magic Mouse cannot be charged while in use, as has been the case since 2015. For Apple, which prides itself on design, this is another example of how focusing on unobtrusive design only creates more roadblocks.

Apple confirmed to The Verge that the only thing that will change about Magic Mouse is the color, and the charging port will remain the same for almost six years. In other words, even if it runs out of charge, you will not be able to plug in the Lighting cable and use it as usual.

It may only take two minutes to charge for nine hours, but that is not the issue. The mouse must be turned upside down, making the mouse as useless as a butcher at a vegan food convention.

The first generation Apple Pencil (which is still supported and sold today) has a similar problem. At the time of its release, Apple revealed a laughably awful charging method that involved plugging the stylus into the iPad's Lightning port. Not only does it look ridiculous, but having such a long object sticking out of the iPad's only charging port only invites accidental tapping and damage.

The Apple Pencil itself eventually shipped with a charging adapter that could be connected to a regular Lightning cable. However, this is an accessory that should not have been necessary in the first place.

The Logitech Crayon released in 2021 was equipped with a standard Lighting charging port, so it could be connected without additional hassle. Similarly, the second-generation Apple Pencil charges wirelessly when connected to the iPad Pro. It still cannot be used while charging, but at least it does not interfere with the time spent using the iPad.

With the new iMac and new colors coming, now would have been the perfect time to upgrade the Magic Mouse. Even if it meant adding wireless charging and upselling users a wireless charging mouse mat. They would not be the first company to do this and be the first to offer a mouse that could continue to provide power without cumbersome cables.

Unfortunately, however, Apple is not the kind of person who is quick to admit when it does something wrong. The infamous butterfly keyboard existed for four years, launched in 2015, only to be replaced by a new "scissor key" in 2019. But that didn't stop Apple from selling the new butterfly model until last year.

Similarly, the Apple TV's God-awful remote control has been around since 2015. And it just received a much-needed design overhaul yesterday with the launch of the new Apple TV 4K.

2015 was not a particularly good year for Apple's design team, and we are still feeling the effects of those terrible decisions. The only question is why the company is taking so long to fix them.

Because if you are paying a premium for the "Apple experience," you should never have to deal with a half-century old problem that no one had the sense to think through properly.

Categories