Included with every new iMac since 2009, Apple’s wireless Magic Mouse certainly has its lovers and haters, with the former comfortable with its low-profile design and array of multi-touch offerings, and the latter having ditched it long ago in favor of a more traditionally styled device from a third-party maker.
According to recently published papers [1, 2] filed with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the Cupertino company has designed a new version of its Magic Mouse, likely to be called….wait for it….Magic Mouse 2.
A refreshed version of its $69 wireless keyboard also looks to be on its way, though its new name isn’t currently known (wireless keyboard 2, perhaps?).
The updated devices were revealed in FCC papers published on Friday, with AppleInsider spotting additional documents stating that the hardware that’s been submitted for testing “represents the final version of the equipment as it will be released to the market.”
Related: Logitech’s MX Anywhere 2 could be the best mouse yet
Particular alterations of note include the introduction of non-removable batteries into both devices, doing away with the need for AA batteries. Spotted by SlashGear, the internal power source will be rechargeable via USB. You should be able to get some decent use out of the devices before having to stick them on charge, too, as both devices are shifting from Bluetooth 2.0 to Bluetooth LE 4.2, offering greater energy efficiency as well as security.
Drawings submitted to the FCC by Apple only show the underside of the devices, so we’re unable to say whether the overall external design has been altered. The mouse, for example, may have had its shape and profile tinkered with, while the keyboard’s keys could conceivably have been given a thinner design like those on the company’s recently launched 12-inch MacBook.
It’s not clear when the new hardware will hit the market, though it’s perfectly possible it could land with the anticipated rollout of revamped iMacs next month, possibly on or close to September 9 when new mobile devices from Apple are expected to be announced.
