New Magic Mouse may listen for voice commands
A shaky rumor claims that Apple is prototyping a new Magic Mouse design for the Mac that's more ergonomic -- but which users will also be able to talk to.
Magic Mouse with Siri -- image credit: mouse Apple, Siri composite: AppleInsider
It was back in 1986's "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home" where Scotty picked up a Macintosh mouse and tried speaking into it. In 2026, goes the new rumor, that could happen for real.
This new claim follows a previous one that said a more ergonomic Magic Mouse 2 would be released in 2026, probably including moving the USB-C charging port from the bottom. Leaker yeux1122 agrees with all of that, but adds (in translation) that the design will fit "modern computing [needs] with a mixture of touch screen, voice command, and hand movement."
Definitely something is lost in machine translation, but surely only vertical mice don't already rely on hand movement. Then, too, the Magic Mouse has always been able to register touch gestures.
But it's the claim that the Magic Mouse update will feature voice commands that seems the most problematic. It is true that using Siri on a Mac can be less convenient than on an iPhone, though, so perhaps there could be a Siri button on the mouse.
There's a precedent for that as the Siri Remote for Apple TV 4K has such a button.
Yet even if Siri on the mouse parsed what was being said to it -- perhaps with Apple Intelligence -- it would then have to send that command to the Mac to be acted upon. There doesn't seem to be an obvious advantage to having the voice command processing done by the device your hand is covering up.
Then, too, leaker yeux1122 also says that more than coming some time in 2026, the new mouse will debut that year alongside a new MacBook Pro. It's been rumored before that the 2026 MacBook Pro will get a marked redesign, but it's surely never going to abandon the trackpad.
Note that Yeux1122 has only a middling track record for accuracy. This latest claim appears to be mostly the leaker's common "me too" report, following others who have said the same, but with the addition of this peculiar voice command detail.
Rumor Score: Possible
Read on AppleInsider
Comments
Not saying i think its real but ...
if they are adding smarts to the a desk assocessory then the mouse might make more sense than the keyboard for additional function. I'd imagine a future where the touchID enabled mouse could be your remote login credentials to your own remote mac or a pool of macClouds. Take it with you to a meeting and share your own screen to the meeting room. Take it out to the lounge and use the TV as your mac. Voice commands either remove or reduce the need to carry a keyboard too.
Now move the usb-c port to the back edge (user facing) and let it act as a headphone relay (like the AirPods Pro case can) and the cable is now trailing out of the way anyway.
Yes, yes, I realise at this point it might as well be a wrist band that just uses finger gestures to simulate the mouse. We see proto function like this in the watch already.
Anyway back to the point the mouse still feels like it has development left it the concept. The keyboard not so much.
"Hello, Computer"
link for those who don’t know:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hShY6xZWVGE
What else will it be listening for... and who else will know what is being said? Can listening be turned off?
These days it is a concern, even with Apple.
It's one thing to not use Siri... but that mouse is always there... with ears open...