Apple seems to be preparing to give its iconic Magic Mouse a much-needed facelift. According to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman in his latest Power On newsletter, Apple’s design team has been hard at work, crafting prototypes that promise to drag this piece of hardware into the modern era.

The Magic Mouse, first introduced in 2009 and updated to the Magic Mouse 2 in 2015, has been both praised for its sleek design and lambasted for what many consider its most glaring flaw: the charging port’s placement on the bottom. This design choice means users must flip the mouse over — rendering it unusable — to plug it in for charging. Gurman notes that while specifics are still under wraps, the new version aims to address this and other “longstanding complaints.”

The redesign isn’t just about moving the charging port; it’s an attempt to overhaul a product that has seen little change in nearly a decade and a half. The current iteration, which saw a minor revision to include USB-C for compatibility with newer Apple devices like the M4 iMac, still retains the aesthetic and functional essence of its predecessor. However, Apple’s acknowledgment of user feedback hints at more profound changes, potentially including enhancements in ergonomics and possibly integrating some form of mechanical controls for a more tactile user experience.

Ergonomics have been a significant point of contention for the Magic Mouse. Users and reviewers alike have pointed out that the flat design, while modern and clean, does not conform well to the natural curvature of the hand, leading to discomfort during prolonged use. Adding mechanical buttons could also address the current model’s reliance on touch-sensitive surfaces, which sometimes lack the precision or feedback of physical buttons.

From a technological standpoint, the integration of newer connectivity options like Bluetooth 5.3 or even Apple’s rumored in-house wireless chip could be on the cards. Apple’s push towards developing its own silicon, as seen with the M-series chips for Macs, suggests they might extend this philosophy to their peripherals, potentially enhancing performance and battery life.

However, enthusiasts shouldn’t hold their breath too hard. Gurman indicates that this revamped Magic Mouse won’t see the light of day for another 12 to 18 months at least, giving Apple ample time to refine what could be a significant evolution of this accessory.

The broader context of this redesign fits into Apple’s pattern of incremental but impactful updates. With the tech giant already teasing innovations like a foldable iPad and new in-house chips for their devices, this mouse redesign is part of a larger narrative of Apple constantly rethinking its product lineup to meet both aesthetic and functional demands of the future.

For those who’ve learned to live with the quirks of the current Magic Mouse or have moved on to third-party solutions, this news might be a beacon of hope or merely a curiosity. But for the die-hard Apple ecosystem users, this could mean finally having a mouse that doesn’t require a break every time it needs a charge, one that respects the human hand’s natural form, and perhaps, one that truly earns the “Magic” in its name.