New Magic accessories failing with all but macOS Sequoia 15.1

Apple's new USB-C peripherals for the Mac are failing to work with either versions of macOS before macOS Sequoia 15.1, or with the current beta of 15.2.

Despite Apple saying that its new USB-C Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse will work with devices that are years old, they won't without a specific update. Apple lists compatible Macs as old as 2018, but does not say that users have to update to macOS Sequoia 15.1.

On macOS Sequoia 15 or earlier, Touch ID and function keys fail to work on the new Magic Keyboard. While there don't appear to be reports of the Magic Trackpad failing, the Magic Mouse is unable to scroll.

Fortunately, all of the listed compatible Macs are also compatible with macOS Sequoia. However, they include the 2018 Mac mini and an iMac from 2019 that are Intel-based, and so not fully supported by macOS Sequoia.

As first spotted by MacRumors, it's also been reported that these peripherals are failing with macOS Sequoia 15.2. That is still in developer beta, so Apple will surely be addressing it before releasing macOS Sequoia 15.2 to the public.

The only apparent difference in the new versions of the peripherals is that they have switched from Lightning to USB-C. It's not clear why there should be any issues with their wireless connection, and yet reports appear to be exclusively about that.

Apple's list of compatible devices for the peripherals also lists many iPads, back to the iPad Air 2. So far there do not appear to have been reports of issues using the peripherals with iPads.

17 Comments

Possum-us 8 comments · New User

About 1 month ago

What features are missing when using the intel macs?

Looks like Apple is feeling comfortable making even more brazen planned obsolescence moves with their intel culling process.
Less plausible deniability and more straight up. I guess they figure not enough people to make noise to care.

DAalseth 3066 comments · 6 Years

Possum-us said:

What features are missing when using the intel macs?

Looks like Apple is feeling comfortable making even more brazen planned obsolescence moves with their intel culling process.
Less plausible deniability and more straight up. I guess they figure not enough people to make noise to care.

Exactly right. This is just a money grab.

Fidonet127 598 comments · 5 Years

DAalseth said:

Possum-us said:

What features are missing when using the intel macs?

Looks like Apple is feeling comfortable making even more brazen planned obsolescence moves with their intel culling process.
Less plausible deniability and more straight up. I guess they figure not enough people to make noise to care.

Exactly right. This is just a money grab.

The compatibility for Macs goes back as old as Mac Book Air and Mac mini from 2018, yet it says, "Mac with Apple silicon using macOS 11.4 or later" Those are not ASi Macs for the keyboard with numerical keypad. Trackpad is the same, except the OS requirements of, "Bluetooth-enabled Mac with OS X 10.11 or later." Mouse same Macs, "Bluetooth-enabled Mac with OS X 10.11 or later." Keyboard without the keypad is the same as with the keypad for requirements.

Stabitha_Christie 582 comments · 3 Years

Possum-us said:

What features are missing when using the intel macs?

Looks like Apple is feeling comfortable making even more brazen planned obsolescence moves with their intel culling process.
Less plausible deniability and more straight up. I guess they figure not enough people to make noise to care.

What exactly was made obsolete?

snookie 150 comments · 15 Years

Possum-us said:

What features are missing when using the intel macs?

Looks like Apple is feeling comfortable making even more brazen planned obsolescence moves with their intel culling process.
Less plausible deniability and more straight up. I guess they figure not enough people to make noise to care.

Whah. They stopped making Intel Macs years ago but they still can run Sequoia and these peripherals.