Magic Mouse doubles Apple's US mice sales
updated 10:50 am EST, Tue December 29, 2009
Logitech, Microsoft continue to lead market
Apple doubled its share of US mice sales during the month of November, according to data compiled by the NPD Group. The company achieved a 10 percent marketshare, a first in its history. Sales are said to have been fueled by the introduction Magic Mouse, even when disregarding the units bundled with updated 21.5- and 27-inch iMacs.
The company remains a minority player however, not having moved from its third-place position. The US market is led by Logitech and Microsoft, both of which sell considerably higher volumes. The initial rush of Magic Mouse interest is moreover expected to flatten in coming weeks, in the same manner as other Apple products. "The Time Machine did great the first 8 to 10 weeks too, but then it kind of settled down," notes NPD analyst Stephen Baker.
Apple is also hampered by a lack of full Windows support for its mice. While products like the Apple Mouse (formerly the Mighty Mouse) will function in Windows, some commands are not supported. Logitech and Microsoft products, by contrast, are sold to both Mac and Windows audiences.











better driver!
12/29, 11:31am reply
Great mouse--now let's see Apple make a better mouse driver. With the Magic Mouse driver, the tracking can't be adjusted fast enough for me (I had to install "MouseZoom" to improve it), the right-click has too few options, there are only two "buttons", and the clicks can't be changed based on the application in use. All things that other mice's drivers have been doing for years.
JeffChrz
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Feb 2001
Love it
12/29, 11:43am reply
I got one when they were released. It works great. I'm not used to a wireless mouse, so I sometimes forget to turn it on when I power up the computer. But I have no complaints with tracking. I do with they'd made it higher with some kind of a hump that fits into the palm of your hand though.
Mr. Strat
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jan 2002
and...
12/29, 11:51am reply
How many were returned? Oh, we don't ask those questions of apple products, just everyone else, right.
The main problem with Apple and their mice is they have this 'one mouse fits all' concept.
Well, that and the "We can't make a real two-button mouse, we need to make one that requires people who use it to change the way they 'think' and use mice! We'll make it 'better'!" as if the biggest complaint has been the confusing two-buttons on a mouse.
And the lack of middle-click (which I use in browsers all the time) is a straight deal killer for me.
testudo
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2001
Mice-information
12/29, 05:34pm reply
@JeffChrz: take a look at BetterTouchTool (available via the author's blog at http://blog.boastr.net/). It does a much better job at multi-touch, and provides a lot more customizability and a wider range of settings than the default.
@testudo: Apple makes one style of mouse at a time. But go to their stores or check the online store, and you'll see a good selection of 3rd party mice available, in addition to their offering. I have no problem with open choices, and I do not see them making one to ship with their products as being a "one mouse fits all" restriction. If you want to be limited by a two-button mouse, go right ahead and buy a Microsoft or Logitech or Kensington mouse. If you want a two-buttom, multi-touch, no-moving-parts mouse, with no wires and long battery life, there's only one available on the market right now.
And using the aforementioned BetterTouchTool, I still have my middle-click, in addition to forward, backward, zoom, momentum-scroll, Exposé, Spaces, and a whole lot more functionality. The Magic Mouse was a *great* upgrade for me, since the hardware in my 2008 MB doesn't support more than 2-finger multi-touch: my mouse now supports up to 4-fingers in all 360º.
Or, as the Pantless Knights said in their music video, "F* right-click, multi-touch, MF." ;)
Alphaman
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Dec 2009
Hooray
12/29, 08:05pm reply
From 7 units to 14. There was much rejoicing.
WiseWeasel
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Apr 1999
Re: Hooray
12/29, 08:47pm (1 reply) reply
The mouse market must be small if all Apple had to do was sell 14 to get 10% market share.
GeneralDMac
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jun 2009