Apple’s Mac accessories finally switch from Lightning to USB-C

Apple today announced a long-overdue update of its flagship Mac accessories lines, switching them from the proprietary Lightning standard and giving them USB-C ports instead.

The new versions of the Magic Keyboard, Magic Trackpad, and Magic Mouse, unveiled alongside the M4 iMac as part of the company’s exciting week of Mac announcements, are otherwise unchanged in both design and price:

• Magic Keyboard (USB-C): $199/£199 for black, $179/£179 for white
• Magic Trackpad (USB-C): $149/£149 for black, $129/£129 for white
• Magic Mouse (USB-C): $99/£99 for black, $79/£79 for white

As The Verge has spotted, via some cunning use of Apple’s “View in AR” mode, that sadly means the Magic Mouse still has its charging point on the bottom, which means it still can’t be charged and used at the same time. This is a design quirk that’s been the subject of considerable speculation over the years.

As noted above, the three accessories are each available in either black or white on Apple’s storefront, with the black version costing $20 more. As with the M1 and M3 iMac models, however, Apple has made them in other colors too; they’re just not available on their own. If you place a pre-order for the new M4 iMac, it comes with a bundled Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse in the same color (blue, purple, pink, orange, yellow, green, or silver), and you can choose to upgrade the latter with a Magic Trackpad by paying an extra $50. At some point, Apple may sell these more vibrant accessories on their own (though after three years it’s unlikely), but for now, you’ll have to save up for a whole new iMac if you want them that badly.