Evolution of Apple Mouse
Abstract
The very first mouse supported by Apple was a basic GUI development originated in Xerox Parc research. This was the predecessor of what we know as mouse today. It was created a year before the first Macintosh was released [2]. Apple kept on branching out to design its own mouse which currently has distinguishable features compared to other brands which large proportion supports the Windows OS. The development of the sensors of the Apple mouse becomes distinguishable in Magic Mouse which is the most recent product for iMac. The minimalism design and gesture recognizing capability grants potential for additional input commands creating an affordance in maintaining its physical form. However, the physical features are far from perfect and there still need some improvement in ergonomics. This research involves a brief history of the development of Apple mice and also introduces the current developments as well as some possible future improvements.
Introduction
Apple mouse have been developed throughout the years supporting the input features for Mac devices. This research discusses the aspects and history of Apple mice and evolution. We will evaluate the minimalist design of each generation of Apple mice and examine its functions. We will compare Apple input devices with other computer mice and analyze the potential affordances as well as its limitations. Significant amount of this presentation will include the development of the recent models such as the Magic Mouse. Although Apple doesn’t provide its technological source in detail, we will try to discover as much information regarding the capacitive sensors and gesture recognition. Finally we will discuss about the applications and ergonomics of Apple input devices. The purpose of this examination is to determine whether Apple mice have been developed efficiently over the years. Physical and technological aspects both matter when designing a mouse. For graphic designers who utilize software may want extended functions to save extraneous movements. Others who are more casual users may want innovative input methods. Some use computers for extensive amount of time and may need a mouse that won’t tire them and prevent them from injuring their wrist by working too long. Apple products are consistent with making a mouse that is compatible with their computers. Apple mouse has a consistency of having a single click or pressured button. Compared to other brands such as Logitech, the appearance of Apple mouse seem to develop into a simplistic and plain design. Let us find out more about the history of Apple’s mice and its recent developments.
Background
History of Apple’s Mouse
(1979) Original Mouse Xerox Parc Research: Basic development of Graphical User interface, Douglas Engelbart invented the first mouse. Robert Taylor was one of the computer scientists who was approached by Engelbart in the Advanced Research Center in NASA. During the time Engelbart was interested in creating new device that can interact with computers. Computers were considered as arithmetic machines at the time and Taylor who was working on control systems, flight display and simulations. Engelbart contributed by inventing the first mouse funded by NASA [15].
(1983–1992) DE-9 port Macintosh/Desktop Mouse: To understand the early stages of Apple Mouse it is helpful to learn the development history of Lisa. Lisa was first computer with real GUI driven by a mouse [13]. However it wasn’t used for general population and the price was nearly ten-thousand dollars. Interacting with a GUI directly was still a new concept around the time the first mouse was invented. This was marketed by Apple during its time [2]. The software in Lisa had two main modes. One of them was the Office System which applications could be interacted by using a mouse for the first time. By using a mouse with Lisa the users could construct a graph making only a few movements with the mouse. Drawing a graph sounds like a very simple task nowadays but around thirty-five years ago, this was an innovation. Lisa software were named after their purposes such as LisaCalc, LisaWrite or Lisa Draw which has somewhat similar to Microsoft Office which is most commonly used for office work [13]. Although they run in different OS we can see that with a mouse the tools became much more accessible for users to speed up their tasks. However until the recent Magic Mouse and Touch Pads were introduced the basic technological features has been similar to those ones used for PC. The Lisa Mouse was considered to be the first mouse for Apple. It was when Lisa introduced the concept of GUI and Macintosh wasn’t released until a year later.
The Macintosh Mouse featured a rubber rollerball with a single button on top. It was introduced in 1984. The second version of Macintosh mouse was introduced in the same year which was slimmer in design and could also be used as a joystick depending on the application. The most prominent mouse would be the Apple desktop mouse which most users would use during the late 1980s and the early 1990s. The model came out smaller and this was the mouse that used DE-9 port instead of USB [2]. Similar to the mice designed by other companies besides Apple, these mice were wired, contained a button and used a rollerball on the bottom to detect the movement coordinated with a GUI computer.
(1998) Model M4848 ‘The Puck’ USB Mouse: The first Apple USB mouse also known as ‘The Puck’ was shipped with the original iMac and was used widely among Apple users. Like many products from Apple this model was designed to pair up with the iMac. The colors and materials used to make the exterior are consistent with the computer. While other brands seek to produce a single product of a mouse that can support different computers, Apple tends to limit its application by designing a single type mouse for each version of their computer. The Apple Desktop Mouse as previously mentioned was the most popular mouse at the time. Instead of improving the popular former design Apple decided to make a totally new looking mouse which shows that Apple considered less about the ergonomics. Due to its design, many users felt uncomfortable and this caused Apple to create an extender in order to make the grip for comfortable [16].
(2000–2009) Wireless Pro/Mighty Mouse: The new millennia arrives with the support of wireless and optical sensors. After changing the design features of the Apple USB mouse Apple Pro mouse was released in 2000. The mechanical feature of the mouse was the same except there were no more buttons. Instead, the whole device can register a click by giving pressure. Apple Pro Mouse was the first optical sensor mouse that came with a new mechanical feature. A single rubber ball on top. Apple also developed a wireless mouse that has similar design features to the Pro Mouse. Pro Mouse is known to be an unintentional design created by Apple during the Cult of Mac. This is a famous story known to people where Steve Jobs selected an unfinished model due to its simplicity [17].
Apple started to design specific mice for iMac. One of the first versions of iMac mouse is the Mighty Mouse. The Mighty mouse has a track ball which allows users to scroll in any direction. Starting from 2005 mouse became wireless and so did the Mighty mouse. The Pro/Mighty Mouse both needed improvements when it came out. The mouse would become worn out after heavy use and the tracker ball will become clunky and often need cleaning [2]. The tracker ball was an innovation because it allowed users to scroll in any direction. Other mice brands that supports Windows OS has wheel like scrollers which would only support up and down scroll although later versions changed. Apple continued to design their mouse with unique features that would stand out from any other devices. It is questionable whether Apple invests on the practicality since this is another instance of innovative features but less practical designs.
(2009-Current) Apple Bluetooth Magic Mouse: Magic Mouse is another device specifically made more iMac. It only connects when the computer is bluetooth-enabled. The mouse also use gestures which takes input commands from different finger movements. The capacitive sensors is the most significant development for this model. It isn’t indicated on the cover but Magic Mouse has “zones” for left, right click and also for scrolling [2]. This version is the most recent device which Apple has released.
Development
Technology & Design
Sensors: The earlier stages of sensors installed in Apple mouse has been the same for rollerball or LED optical sensors. Like other brands, ever since Douglas Englbart invented the mice for GUI interaction it tracks its location by using a sensor on the bottom.
- Rollerball: Like other mouse brands early versions for Apple mouse also used rollerball to track the cursor on screen.
- LED: The rollerball later developed into optical sensor where users no longer have to worry about cleaning the rollerball for better coordination.
Optical mouse was a significant improvement, not just because of the clunky feeling of the rubber ball. The optical mouse emits a red LED light which bounces off a sensor on a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor [18]. The cursor moves according to the captured coordinates of the surface. The mouse was smoother and had less chance of input failure.
Sensors by Apple: Similar to the radical approach in appearance Apple also approached in ways to improve the sensors with less mechanical interaction.
- Trackball: While brands like Logitech for Windows OS uses up and down scroll Apply Mighty Mouse uses a trackball so that the user can scroll in any direction.
- Gesture: This only applies for Magic Mouse where the device is equipped with numerous capacitive sensors. These sensors are the most recent developed sensor for Apple mouse [9].
Adding a scroll wheel or mouse wheel was an idea by Eric Michelman who is also considered as the inventor of the mouse wheel [19]. Michelman originally claimed that the wheel should be only used for zoom but Microsoft added a button on the wheel which added the zoom function. This shows that Microsoft’s approach in mouse design is different from Apple. The scroll in the Apple mouse has a functional purpose that is more towards navigating in two dimensions rather than zooming which can be considered as three dimensions since it navigates in three axis.
Developmental Aspects: The capacitive sensors used in the Apple Magic Mouse has a potential for development because besides the pressured-click function the mouse accepts different gestures. For future development in Magic Mouse new gestures can be added to add extra input commands. Gaming mouse for Windows OS often have multiple buttons and keypad that can only be used for certain applications. Without using those designated applications the buttons become useless. However feeding gestures doesn’t require physical change. Once the user is fully adapted to the gestures he or she won’t have to use key bindings for additional buttons. The input capability becomes for flexible for different applications [11].
Minimalist Design: Steve Jobs preference in simple and plain design comes from his trip to India after practicing Buddhism and appreciating simple software he discovered during his visit. Steve Jobs believed that with care and precision and with an intuitive UI, one should be able to do everything with a single button [5]. It is said that while Apple designers were coming up with a new mouse after the M4848 and presented several unfinished prototypes, Steve Jobs picked an unfinished design. This later became the Apple Pro Mouse and it shows how Apple continues to design products with the idea of a minimalist. Jonathan Ive is one of the inspirations for many of the Apple products we see in recent years. The perception of minimalistic design inspires people to utilize and adapt differently when they encounter new things. This also creates potential for improvement in the technical aspect and requires less change in the physical aspect. Another incident of following minimalism was when Steve Jobs took the concept of three buttoned mouse from the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center and thought of innovation for a mouse for Apple computer with less buttons [6]. Apple products are going for the idea of “less is more” by producing what looks very plain but devices that can have many capabilities.
Main Achievement: Apple mouse stands out from other brands because of its design. It may not be so practical but its technological features are more sophisticated while its appearance is becoming more plain and basic.
- Desirable Appearance: Apple has attractive designs compared to most other computer related brands. The materials used and the colors are also consistent at a high rate. The appearance of Apple Mouse hasn’t always been fancy but their named products such as the Mighty Mouse or Magic Mouse certainly has an attractive look. Despite the comfort the reflective material used to make the mouse, it gives a clean feeling to the users. However, the level of the design doesn’t match its practicality.
- Non-Mechanical Feature: We see at least two buttons and a scroll for most other mouse brands. If there are additional buttons present it is unlikely that it is an Apple mice. Apple seems to be successful at coming up with simplistic designs. Users may experience a learning curve as Apple brings input features such as gesture recognition. Having numerous mechanical feature on a mouse can be useful for certain applications like gaming but those devices cannot become a genuine device. Having less mechanical feature can potentially increase the functionality of a mouse using the same design. Magic Mouse may allow users to have their customized gestures in the future stages since it already has a divider to recognize different buttons and scrolls without their physical presence.
- Unique Input Technology: Optical sensors or wireless capability maybe shared among all mouse brands but Apple Mouse is successful at bringing new input technology into the computing world. The features that stand out the most during the development of Apple mouse would be the tracker ball and capacitive sensors. Although tracker ball was frowned upon by many users it is still allows scrolling in all directions which is different from a scroll wheel. Apple recently has gesture recognizing mouse which no other industry is supporting its technology at the moment.
Apple Magic Mouse
What is Apple Magic Mouse?
Technological features: Magic Mouse is bluetooth-enabled and has long lasting rechargeable battery. Able to recognize computer within thirty feet of distance. This mouse is specifically made for the iMac and each mouse is paired and shipped together. This is also a similar approach when producing the model M4848 (‘The Puck’) for the original iMac. The following shows a quick glimpse of the design of the Magic Mouse. The shape follows its oval design like its predecessors but Apple installed some newer features that has a potential for standing out from any other known computer mice [7].
Bluetooth-enabled: Instead of using a plug in USB the bluetooth antenna will pair with the bluetooth-enabled mouse [1]. This is only useful for computers that has the appropriate antenna installed. For bluetooth-enabled mouse to become more popular in the future, desktops must all come with bluetooth antennas. However, this may cause a problem when pairing more than one mouse on a single computer. Apple recently came up with the mouse that utilizes bluetooth. Each iMacs are paired with a Magic Mouse.
Battery Life: Battery life became a factor ever since people started using wireless mouse. Apple Magic Mouse uses AA battery but recently came out with a new version that doesn’t require changing batteries. Instead it uses a rechargeable which lasts a significant amount of time that the user will barely notice. The performance of battery compared to USB mice is only dictated by the connection between the computer and the connected mouse [12].
Capacitive Sensors: Apple has a tendency of creating products with more sophisticated technology. The computer mouse we know are often made up with materials that require few gadgets and sensors. The rest are covered with plastic and the cost usually isn’t as expensive. However, Magic Mouse is expensive and often paired with the iMacs which costs a couple thousand dollars all together. Reasons for the mouse being sold for a higher price is because Apple Magic Mouse contains numerous capacitive sensors to recognize gestures.
Movement Recognition: Although Apple hasn’t released the entire details of the capacitive sensors it is a similar technology used in iPhones to sense our finger movements. The capacitive sensors detects the natural electronic conductivity of our body to affect voltage inside sensors [8]. Simply imagine touching a plasma globe and the electricity on the tip of your finger is the sensory command for input.
Future Development: Apple has filed a patent relating to installing sensors in computer mouse. It seems that there will be variations of designs using capacitive sensors in Apple mice [3]. Since the introduction of having multiple sensors has recently surfaced it is too early to say for certain that it will become a popular mice for future computer generations.
Performance
Daily Use and Limitations: Limitations of Apple mouse mostly comes from the use of applications that is not often used in OS X. Computer gaming is more abundant in Windows operating system. The design features and the use of Apple mouse doesn’t support gaming. The most popular mouse for iMac is a Logitech brand even though there is a specific model designed for iMac [14].
Ergonomics: It is important to design a mouse to comfort the user’s hand. It is a usual case for people these days to sit in front of their computer for a long period of time. Apple came up with different designs and many of them are oval shaped. The designs conform the shape of people’s hand which seem to support the user’s comfort but the ergonomics hasn’t been considered to be successful [4]. Here are some instances of former and the most recent products of Apple mouse with less practical ergonomics.
- Apple USB Mouse M4848: This was a radical departure from its predecessors. This “Hockey Puck” mouse came with the iMac in 1998 and was considered one of the worst mistakes in Apple designs. The mouse often came with short cords and would rotate while use. Also due to its shape it suggested some of the users to attach an extension. Apart from having these negative features the device was also too small and definitely needed transformation for future Apple mouse designs.
- Apple Magic Mouse: There are different opinions about the Magic Mouse and how it is designed. Numerous people who claimed to own this mouse mentioned that it is not good for long term use [10]. It is good for email checking and surfing the web but it has created wrist pain for many users. Some even say that it is too heavy to shuttle around and it is partially a reason for liking the previous version, the Mighty Mouse. The overall height of the Magic Mouse is often considered too low and causes muscle pain when used for a long time. Users who use gestures too often may get carpal tunnel syndrome. The Magic Mouse is considered a little too small for most people and is served better with a lighter grip [11]. Early adapters or people who like using Apple devices can get used to the second nature of utilizing the mouse. However its ergonomics should undergo a bigger transformation in order to become a genuine product.
Comparison (with other brands): Apple mouse is specified for Apple products. While Logitech mouse is used for different OS Apple mouse is mostly used for iMac. The design is also simpler than other company brands. There are less or no appearance of buttons for later versions.
Conclusion
There has been numerous versions of Apple Mouse through the last thirty-five years. Although the recent designs has proven to be multi-functional and support different application, the most recent model of Apple mouse is far from being considered as the superior mouse. It will take more effort to satisfy Apple buyers and it will certainly take longer to be multi-OS machines. It can be that former designs of Apple mouse has some features that is preferable compared to the recent ones. It seems that Apple isn’t successful at coming up with new devices that has plausible ergonomics. Instead Apple focused more on the new technology which would be their gesture recognizing capacitive sensors. New innovations can lead to improvement but for mega corporations such as Apple or Microsoft, the use of computer has been generalized by the products that was created from these companies. While some people may seek new functions others may prefer using the functions which they used before and remember. Using mouse created by Apple may require a steeper learning curve especially for new OS X users. Customers can’t ignore that Apple is targeting customers to use Apple brands just like iMac is paired with their own mouse. A superior mouse can be determined by many factors. It can be determined by the purpose of the design and how the mechanical feature and design supports its purpose. It can also be a unified device that can support all computers despite the operating systems. Apple is leading at developing new ways of input for computer mouse but hasn’t come up with a product that can be considered as a superior mouse. In order to become a leading example Apple must consider making their device easier to learn and to use as well as anticipate the long term use of the many applications in iMac. In my personal opinion the Apple Mouse is spending too much effort on maximizing the capabilities. Mouse is considered a semi-mechanical product and having a few buttons with a core function seems enough to accommodate most of the tasks. Gesture recognition can be useful but can also be an extraneous movement and can easily be replaced by a touch screen.
References
[1] “Apple.” Official Apple Support, Magic Mouse 2 — Technical Specifications.
[2] “Apple’s Mouse: A History.” 512 Pixels, 27 Nov. 2012, Apple’s Mouse: A History.
[3] Bolton, Matthew. “How Apple’s Magic Mouse Works.” TechRadar, TechRadar The Source for Tech Buying Advice, 29 Oct. 2009, How Apple’s Magic Mouse works.
[4] Dernbach, Christoph. “History of the Apple Mouse.” Mac History, Mac History, 26 Mar. 2012, History of the Apple Mouse.
[5] Heisler, Yoni. “Steve Jobs on Mouse Design and How the Apple Pro Mouse Was Conceived by Happenstance.” Engadget, 14 July 2016, Steve Jobs on mouse design and how the Apple Pro Mouse was conceived by happenstance.
[6] “How Steve Jobs Invented The Computer Mouse By Stealing It From Xerox.” Cult of Mac, 28 July 2015, How Steve Jobs Invented The Computer Mouse By Stealing It From Xerox.
[7] “Magic Mouse 2 Teardown.” IFixit, 5 Feb. 2019, Magic Mouse 2 Teardown.
[8] Nelson, Tom. “Is There Magic in Apple’s Magic Mouse?” Lifewire, Lifewire, 21 Dec. 2018, Apple’s Magic Mouse Review.
[9] “Use Multi-Touch Gestures on Your Mac.” Apple Support, 1 Dec. 2017, Use Multi-Touch gestures on your Mac.
[10] “Is This a Good Mouse If You Have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?” Apple, Is this a good mouse if you have carpal tunnel syndrome?.
[11] Nelson, Tom. “Is There Magic in Apple’s Magic Mouse?” Lifewire, Lifewire, 17 May 2019, Apple’s Magic Mouse Review.
[12] McDunnigan, Micah. “Bluetooth Mouse Vs. Wireless Mouse.” Small Business — Chron.com, Chron.com, 11 Jan. 2019, Bluetooth Mouse Vs. Wireless Mouse.
[13] “The Lisa.” MacStories, The Lisa.
[14] Lee, Kevin, and Kevin Lee. “The Best Mouse of 2019: 10 Top Computer Mice Compared.” TechRadar, TechRadar, 9 May 2019, The best mouse of 2019: 10 top computer mice compared.
[15] Dunbar, Brian. “Birth of the Mouse.” NASA, NASA, Birth of the Mouse.
[16] Engst, Adam C., and Adam C. Engst. “The Six Worst Apple Products of All Time.” Macworld, Macworld, 23 Jan. 2009, The six worst Apple products of all time.
[17] Kim, Andrew. “Apple (Pro) Mouse.” Minimally Minimal, Minimally Minimal, 7 June 2014, APPLE (PRO) MOUSE.
[18] “How Computer Mice Work.” HowStuffWorks, 24 Apr. 2000, How Computer Mice Work.
[19] “Coding Horror.” Meet The Inventor of the Mouse Wheel, Meet The Inventor of the Mouse Wheel.
