It’s 2022 and the Magic Mouse still charges from the bottom

The Magic Mouse was launched by Apple today. It is a black version. The charging port is still on the bottom of the device, six and a half years after its introduction, and Apple still thinks that the best way to charge the mouse is by flipping it over and plugging in a cable.

I copied and pasted most of the last sentence from an article I wrote a year ago, when Apple had the chance to change how they charge, but didn't. The charge-on-the-bottom design has been retained by Apple.

Nick Statt ridiculed the design of the mouse after it was introduced, saying that Apple asked the users to flip the device on its back like a beetle with its legs in the air.

Most wireless mice let you plug them in, so you can use them while charging. Apple doesn't want to put a charging port under the Magic Mouse. The newer Apple Pencil doesn't need to stick out of a Lightning port to charge, for example, and the new Apple TV Siri Remote dumped the old touchpad for a scroll wheel, are some of the odd design decisions the company has shown willingness to fix.

With the new Mac Studio, Apple put a couple of ports on the front instead of shoving all of them in the back, which is a reflection of Apple's recent willingness to give people ports they want in obvious places. The Magic Mouse's charging port is still there.

Apple claims on its website that the Magic Mouse's battery will last for about a month or more between charges, so you won't have to plug the mouse in. I used to use wireless mice until their batteries were completely drained, and then would scramble to find a charging cable so I could use them wired for a short time as they charged. I wouldn't be able to do that with the Magic Mouse, I would have to shove it off to the side and hope that I have another mouse or trackpad lying around that I could use.

If you still want the black Magic Mouse in spite of its frustrating charging situation, you can order one from Apple's website, but it's $20 more expensive than the white one.