Apple accessories are an important part of its ecosystem. In the case of the Mac, one of the star peripherals is the Magic Mouse. This mouse has been with us for many years, and it has experienced few variations in its design. However, this would be about to change in the future, thanks to the advances that Californians are making. Some advances that, by the way, they have patented and we will introduce you to in this article. Do you want to know all the details? We tell you!
The Magic Mouse is in its second generation. Minimalism, lightness and touch controls are its greatest strengths. But Apple knows they have room to improve. In this case, it is the specialized news outlet Patently Apple who has echoed the patent document, and the objective is none other than to be able to offer “more immersive user experiences.”
This is the Magic Mouse of the future that Apple designs
Likewise, they also emphasize video games. This is an area in which the company has placed a lot of emphasis in recent years. And if they have been able to vitaminize (and open) Macs to this type of entertainment, why not do the same with the accessories that accompany computers?
The name of the registered document is “A Variable Friction and Multi-Texture Magic Mouse”. And what exactly does it consist of? Is a combination of hardware and software.
Currently, computer mice (whether from Apple or not) have a flat base at the bottom, which has an optical lens so that movement is detected. The movement and sensation that the mouse transmits to the hand is always the same, regardless of the screen element we are selecting.
Now, let's imagine that we have an image that is made of a textured material. Wood, velvet, steel… When we touch a piece of material with our hands, we notice that texture. With the mouse, what could happen if we move the cursor over that image?
Although it may sound strange, Apple's goal is for the resistance, fluidity and entire sensation of mouse movement to change depending on the object that the cursor is selecting on the screen. And the example of the materials is what they use to illustrate the patent document.
But, how can they make the mouse transmit that sensation to us? They also show it in an illustrated way. If we go back to the physical construction of the mouse, The contact surface (which is the lower part) would have a mechanism with indentations that would change position, to offer more or less resistance or fluidity of movement. And what would cause these mechanisms to change would be the content that is being focused on the screen.
When it comes to video games, the key is that the gaming experience would be in line with the scenario shown on the screen. In order to provide a more realistic feel, mouse control would change depending on the context. An experience similar to that of the adaptive triggers of the PlayStation 5 Dual Sense controller. Depending on the action you want to carry out, they change their hardness.
