Apple looks to be preparing updated versions of its keyboard, trackpad, and mouse accessories for near-term release. Code freshly discovered in the latest OS X 10.11.1 beta references next-generation versions of the products, as first spotted by Consomac. We’ve confirmed the references to new Apple peripherals are not present on the current OS X release, version 10.11.0, and first appear in OS X 10.11.1, currently in beta.
The updated products referenced in the OS X files include a “Magic Trackpad 2”, “Magic Mouse 2”, and “Magic Keyboard”. These hints at upcoming new versions of the accessories come just as Apple plans to launch a new 4K 21.5-inch iMac next week, as we first reported earlier this month.
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen hints at redesigned Mac accessories. A couple months back, internal FCC documents referenced a “Magic Mouse 2” alongside an updated wireless keyboard.
While there isn’t much in terms of how the updated products might differ in design or features from past generations, some are speculating that Apple could add a Force Touch-like experience to its Magic Mouse and Trackpad, allowing it to bring the pressure-sensitive touch technology from the Apple Watch, MacBook trackpads, and iPhone 6s phones to more Mac computers.
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Just a thought, but maybe they’ll go in the direction of the Siri remove and Apple Pencil, but charging these devices only by lightning (more likely perhaps) or USB type-c connector…
obviously I meant Siri Remote! :)
Will there be a keynote in October?
Not looking like there will be.
According to John Gruber’s Apple birdies there will not be. http://daringfireball.net/linked/2015/09/09/last-minute-predictions
I hope apple will release the “Apple Pencil 2” that only works with the new trackpad just to show how stupid the first pencil was.
or put touch id on the keyboard and force touch mouse <3
How stupid the first pencil was? What the hell are you talking about? Haha…
And of course the keyboard will be the new MacBook style, with bigger keys, probably backlight, and San Francisco font. The trackpad will have force touch, the mouse will have force touch.
Magic keyboard with force touch and no physical keys?
Not sure what (else) they’ll change in the keyboard, but one has already been shown that adds at the very least backlighting. My current Apple wireless keyboard (the original) is showing quite a bit of wear (the A is worn almost right through), but still functions perfectly – I’d still be glad to trade it for a new version with backlight and possibly more energy efficient.
I think the change for the keyboard goes to one non removable rechargeable battery (5000mAh would be neat) by ‘usb c’ port, new butterfly mechanism in the keys, new font, backlight incorporated, an maybe bluetooth 4.1 or 4.2 (for energy efficiency). And replace the eject key for something more useful!
Would be nice the proposed port for charging the phone.
Backlight and more energy efficient seems like a high bar, and possibly defying the laws of physics.
It will definitely have physical keys. It will be largely identical to the one on the new MacBook. Physical keys aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. The only way you replace physical keys is with constant tactile feel still, and force touch does not get you that. Force touch is simply measuring pressure applied and giving haptic feedback, it can’t make you feel the keys, and that’s 100% necessary for quick, accurate typing.
You’ll see a physical keyless keyboard when Apple is using things like numerous sensors to shoot soundwaves/air pressure constantly, for tactile feeling of keys, without them physically being present. It’s very futuristic and not happening for at least 5-10 years. Although I have seen videos on groups studying and using soundwaves to give feeling, which is of course invisible to the eye, it’s pretty awesome, and in the future, that will be coupled with holographic imagery to produce both a visual 3D representation of an object in front of you, and the tactile feel of the object, without the object actually physically being there in any way. Just a combination of soundwaves/light.
Has someone informed Michelle that there’s a thing called Cloud Storage, negating the need for a thumb drive?
only hope any new wireless keyboard will have full keypad integrated. Most people using macs for work or development really use the keypad for data entry. All my macs are tethered with usb keyboard.
Thumb drive, buy once use for ever. Cloud storage, pay, and pay and pay, and forget to pay and data disappears.
ugh I need that new trackpad yesterday and I need it in space grey.
ugh and PLEASE bring backlight option to the Apple made keyboard…..
Hope for a 5k 27″ refresh with these bad boys in so I can finally order one.
I wonder when they’ll bring touch ID to macs and apple pay to online payments.
Microsoft just added a fingerprint reader to their new keyboard covers. Honestly it’s kinda stupid I still need to type in a password for my mac user and that if someone got my mac, they could potentially brute force my password, and then have access to all of my passwords in keychain.
It’s a shame the new iphones didn’t already have touch id built into the display, If they had, the obvious conclusion would be that all of the track pads and magic mouse would get that too and that’s how they’d bring it to the mac.
another thing I guess they were waiting on was the more advanced security of BLE 4.2. they’d have to transfer that sensitive info over to the mac, right? Unless they have a secure enclave element in the mouse or keyboard. Then they wouldn’t really need it since they are only sending pass/fail data.
It would be on the device, transcoded and then sent, no way they’d send anything over the air like that.
Hope with the new accessories they kill the non retina 27″ iMac. $1799 vs $1999 should make Apple drop the non retina models. I hope all the iMac’s get upgrades I would like to see each get non built to order option for an i7 processor., especially in the 5 k models.
Surprised no word on Airport Express with ac wifi The magic keyboard will be like Magic Mouse 2 and have built in batteries you recharge?
These will have rechargeable lithium ion batteries, and Magic Mouse 3, Magic Trackpad 3, and Apple Wireless keyboard 3 will be wirelessly charged by the iMac/Mac Pro/Mac mini using magnetic resonance. With about 3ft they’ll always be charging.
I’m looking forward to a both physical and touch keyboard. Flat screen on top, with keys that go below the surface when typed. This would revolutionise keyboards.
Not happening. That gives no tactile feel of the keys, which is 100% necessary unless you want to look down constantly, have poor accuracy, and type much more slowly.
There will be a screen when they can shoot soundwaves so you can physically feel the keys irrespective of the fact that they aren’t physically there.
That’s not what i meant. What i meant is to have the keys cut into the glass panel. That way they would go below the surface, but when they’re not pressed, it would be all flat and ready for touch-gestures.
Is it just me or do the keys on the keyboard have the same dimensions and rounded corners as an app icon using the golden ratio from iOS 9?
How is it not obvious they are working on a touchscreen Mac for the iPad Pro, similar to the Surface Pro.
1) its the only way to compete 2) there are companies that will do that for you anyway, for a lot of money.
To be honest, this is the only reason why I haven’t caved in to update my mid 2009 MBP – the minute iPad Pro gets a full operating system I’m all in. Suddenly a $100 iPencil, with the sort of technology they have built, sounds totally worth it.
They should’ve released an OSX powered tablet (with pencil) long time ago. But still there are no rumors. My old Wacom doesn’t work anymore.
FYI, you can install OSX (not supported) on an iPad Pro.
I’ve been logging around the new MacBook and it’s not that slow, even though it has an M processor. And I’m thinking about getting a new Wacom tablet, though I’d really want a Surface Mac. :-)