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Apple Insider is reporting that Apple is preparing a new multitouch mouse for release, and that it will feature several improvement and changes from the current Mighty Mouse.

Apple’s next mouse is expected to do away with the Mighty Mouse’s problematic mechanical roller ball, using expanded touch sensitive housing and “multipoint touch detection mechanism” technologies described in recent patent filings.

Should the new mouse arrive alongside revamped iMacs, it’s also likely to drop the white plastic finish it formerly used to match previous Mac models. Informed speculation would suggest the new hardware could sport an aluminum appearance to fit in with Apple’s current lineup of desktop computers and notebooks…”

Apple’s laptop line is currently its biggest seller, and the multitouch gestures are one of its most notable eye-candy features. Getting rid of the mouse ball will certainly be a step in the right direction: the mighty mouse is designed so that it can’t be taken apart for cleaning, and the sensors eventually get clogged with dust and oil.

So, are we going to see another “zero button” mouse, or something completely different, like a touch pad which supports finger gestures as well as moving a cursor?

Read [Apple Insider].