Apple brings Force Touch to the desktop with new $129 Magic Trackpad 2

Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited October 2015
Apple's updated iMacs have the option of shipping with the all-new Magic Trackpad 2, which features a larger surface and features Force Touch input, bringing it in line with Apple's latest MacBook Pro and 12-inch MacBook with Retina display models.




The new Magic Trackpad features a 29 percent larger surface that can be clicked anywhere, just like the Force Touch trackpad on the latest MacBooks.

The previous design featured a physical clicking design, but the new one simulates the sensation with Apple's proprietary Taptic Engine. It has a flat, white edge-to-edge glass top featuring four force sensors underneath.

Apple says the new Magic Trackpad 2 can detect subtle differences in the amount of pressure a user applies. The new design also features a lower profile than its predecessor.




Apple has also included an integrated battery in its Magic Trackpad 2, which is rechargeable via the proprietary Lightning port already used on iPhone and iPad. Apple says the Magic Trackpad 2 battery lasts about a month before needing to be recharged.

The revamped Bluetooth 4.0 Magic Trackpad is priced at $129, a significant increase from the previous first-generation model at $69.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 63
    The higher price is not surprising. Has anyone been to buy groceries recently? This week I bought a few bottles of sports drinks and some cereal and you'd think I was walking out with a cart full of steaks! Our money is approaching worthlessness.
  • Reply 2 of 63
    polymniapolymnia Posts: 1,080member
    I love that apple is bringing pressure sensitive input to the desktop.

    Unfortunately for me, the trackpad isn't my best input for creative work. My ideal input is a pen, followed closely by the mouse.

    This brings me to the Magic Mouse 2 (which doesn't have its own article as write this) which gets the internal battery and recharging capabilities, but no pressure sensitivity. Definitely a let-down. Would have really liked some capability to use pressure sensitive brushes in (admittedly limited functionality without all the usual pen input methods) Photoshop when I'm away from a tablet.
  • Reply 3 of 63
    polymnia wrote: »
    I love that apple is bringing pressure sensitive input to the desktop.

    Unfortunately for me, the trackpad isn't my best input for creative work. My ideal input is a pen, followed closely by the mouse.

    This brings me to the Magic Mouse 2 (which doesn't have its own article as write this) which gets the internal battery and recharging capabilities, but no pressure sensitivity. Definitely a let-down. Would have really liked some capability to use pressure sensitive brushes in (admittedly limited functionality without all the usual pen input methods) Photoshop when I'm away from a tablet.

    I sure hope you don't plan on making these same criticisms in every thread.
  • Reply 4 of 63
    polymniapolymnia Posts: 1,080member
    I sure hope you don't plan on making these same criticisms in every thread.

    polymnia wrote: »
    I love that apple is bringing pressure sensitive input to the desktop.

    Unfortunately for me, the trackpad isn't my best input for creative work. My ideal input is a pen, followed closely by the mouse.

    This brings me to the Magic Mouse 2 (which doesn't have its own article as write this) which gets the internal battery and recharging capabilities, but no pressure sensitivity. Definitely a let-down. Would have really liked some capability to use pressure sensitive brushes in (admittedly limited functionality without all the usual pen input methods) Photoshop when I'm away from a tablet.

    Note my emphasis above.

    Thank you for your volunteer moderation service ????
  • Reply 5 of 63
    polymnia wrote: »

    Note my emphasis above.

    Thank you for your volunteer moderation service ????

    Just here to help. ????
  • Reply 6 of 63
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by sog35 View Post

     

    I wish they put a fingerprint sensor in these new trackpads and make touchID a part of OSX


    That is a great idea. I never thought of that.

     

    Apple must be working on it. It seems like such a no-brainer and now that you mention it a touch ID sensor on the keyboard and mouse would be fantastic too. So no matter where you put your hand, BOOM! you are logged in to your machine.

  • Reply 7 of 63
    techlover wrote: »
    That is a great idea. I never thought of that.

    Apple must be working on it. It seems like such a no-brainer and now that you mention it a touch ID sensor on the keyboard and mouse would be fantastic too. So no matter where you put your hand, BOOM! you are logged in to your machine.

    Due to existing laws, you'd be exchanging your own right to privacy for a little convenience. Not a good trade, IMO.
  • Reply 8 of 63



    It's a bigger trackpad.  As far as comparing Tech to Groceries...  NO...  food has a limited shelf life...  Magic Trackpad refreshes aren't daily and tech gets cheaper over time...  it's practically double the price.  I WAS going to buy it.  I'm not.  I like Force Touch.  Apple needs to put the tech in people's hands to make it important to developers.  If they are going to price gauge me without giving me real benefit I have absolutely no reason to buy.  This isn't good enough.  Not even close.

  • Reply 9 of 63
    sog35 wrote: »
    I wish they put a fingerprint sensor in these new trackpads and make touchID a part of OSX
    Touch ID cannot come to OSX because it and Macs are too open.. Hackers would easily take apart a Mac and reverse engineer Touch ID to allow fraudulent acts.
    Only if Macs were totally locked down and remote controlled like iPhones are could Touch ID be feasible. But who would want such a Mac? No body.
  • Reply 10 of 63
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SpamSandwich View Post

     
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by TechLover View Post



    That is a great idea. I never thought of that.



    Apple must be working on it. It seems like such a no-brainer and now that you mention it a touch ID sensor on the keyboard and mouse would be fantastic too. So no matter where you put your hand, BOOM! you are logged in to your machine.




    Due to existing laws, you'd be exchanging your own right to privacy for a little convenience. Not a good trade, IMO.

    True, but using your fingerprint would not be compulsory. It would just be a nice option on both the desktop peripherals and the laptops. You don't have to use touch ID on your phone after all.

     

    I think a lot people would use it if it was an option. 

  • Reply 11 of 63
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by jameskatt2 View Post

     
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by sog35 View Post



    I wish they put a fingerprint sensor in these new trackpads and make touchID a part of OSX


    Touch ID cannot come to OSX because it and Macs are too open.. Hackers would easily take apart a Mac and reverse engineer Touch ID to allow fraudulent acts.

    Only if Macs were totally locked down and remote controlled like iPhones are could Touch ID be feasible. But who would want such a Mac? No body.

    Couldn't they build the touch ID secure enclave into the peripheral and then pass a token to the Mac via blue tooth?

     

    I am only asking because I don't really know.

     

    What you bring up seems like a legitimate engineering hurdle.

  • Reply 12 of 63
    john.bjohn.b Posts: 2,742member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by sog35 View Post

     

    I wish they put a fingerprint sensor in these new trackpads and make touchID a part of OSX


     

    I agree, it seems like a natural extension of the Touch ID from the iPhone.

     

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jameskatt2 View Post



    Touch ID cannot come to OSX because it and Macs are too open.. Hackers would easily take apart a Mac and reverse engineer Touch ID to allow fraudulent acts.

    Only if Macs were totally locked down and remote controlled like iPhones are could Touch ID be feasible. But who would want such a Mac? No body.

     

    Apple has a campus full of smart people, and are sitting on a dragon's lair of cash.  If they can build a secure Touch ID for the iPhone, and the password-based File Vault for the Mac, surely there's a viable solution for Touch ID on the Mac itself.  Even if only for normal login access or periodically verifying my iCloud passwords (which I've seen more of in 10.10.5 that any other version combined).

     

    Quote:


    Originally Posted by SpamSandwich View Post



    Due to existing laws, you'd be exchanging your own right to privacy for a little convenience. Not a good trade, IMO.

     

    Its OS X, let me decide where to draw the line in terms of what it does – and doesn't – unlock.

  • Reply 13 of 63

    The most secure place to put the Secure Enclave is on the CPU itself. Apple will need Intel's help for that. We are not going to see an Ax desktop CPU for at least 5 years if ever. 

  • Reply 14 of 63
    Good. My last Trackpad died when the alkaline batteries I put in them leaked, corroding the battery compartment and chemically welding the battery cap. This solves that.
  • Reply 15 of 63
    ahmlcoahmlco Posts: 432member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Steve Chavez View Post

     



    Magic Trackpad refreshes aren't daily and tech gets cheaper over time...  it's practically double the price.  I WAS going to buy it.  I'm not.


     

    You're correct in that the SAME tech tends to get cheaper over time. But how is redesigning the pad, adding force touch, rechargeable batteries and Lightning recharging circuitry translate into being the same tech?

  • Reply 16 of 63
    paxmanpaxman Posts: 4,729member
    polymnia wrote: »
    I love that apple is bringing pressure sensitive input to the desktop.

    Unfortunately for me, the trackpad isn't my best input for creative work. My ideal input is a pen, followed closely by the mouse.

    So the perfect trackpad would be one with an integrated fingerprint sensor and the ability to be used with a pen. Technical reason why this is not possible aside, I would be all in for that one :smokey:
  • Reply 17 of 63
    I sure hope you don't plan on making these same criticisms in every thread.

    I'm an Apple fan and I own everything they sell, but
  • Reply 18 of 63
    croprcropr Posts: 1,122member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by ahmlco View Post

     

     

    You're correct in that the SAME tech tends to get cheaper over time. But how is redesigning the pad, adding force touch, rechargeable batteries and Lightning recharging circuitry translate into being the same tech?




    My pointing device I am using on my Mac mini is a $5 mouse.     Even on my MacbookPro I always add  a mouse, I find it for most (but not all) tasks easier to use than the included trackpad. 

    This new trackpad maybe slightly better than the mouse I am using now, but not 25 times better.

  • Reply 19 of 63
    I'm an Apple fan and I own everything they sell, but

    Exactly.
  • Reply 20 of 63
    chadbagchadbag Posts: 1,999member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by cropr View Post

     



    My pointing device I am using on my Mac mini is a $5 mouse.     Even on my MacbookPro I always add  a mouse, I find it for most (but not all) tasks easier to use than the included trackpad. 

    This new trackpad maybe slightly better than the mouse I am using now, but not 25 times better.




    Interesting.  I ditched the mouse when the first trackpad came out and when I went to a new client that issued me a computer I had them get one for me for their office as well...   I only use 20th century technology when I have to :)

     

    Honestly though, I found the trackpad much easier to use than a mouse on a desktop.

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