Microsoft’s mice, keyboards, and webcams are being discontinued in favor of Surface accessories

By Tom Warren, a senior editor covering Microsoft, PC gaming, console, and tech. He founded WinRumors, a site dedicated to Microsoft news, before joining The Verge in 2012.

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Microsoft will no longer manufacture mice, keyboards, and webcams that are Microsoft-branded. Instead, Microsoft is now focusing on its Surface-branded PC accessories, which include mice, keyboards, pens, and more. It brings an end to the legacy of Microsoft-branded PC hardware after the company first launched its first mouse in 1983 and bundled it with Microsoft Word and Notepad.

"Going forward, we are focusing on our Windows PC accessories portfolio under the Surface brand," says Dan Laycock, senior communications manager at Microsoft, in a statement to The Verge. "We will continue to offer a range of Surface branded PC Accessories — including mice, keyboards, pens, docks, adaptive accessories, and more. Existing Microsoft branded PC accessories like mice, keyboards, and webcams will continue to be sold in existing markets at existing sell-in prices while supplies last."

Nikkei first reported earlier today that Microsoft would no longer make standalone keyboards under the Surface brand, but that's not the case. Microsoft's statement makes it clear the company is actually focusing on the Surface going forward instead of its Microsoft-branded accessories.

While Microsoft will still manufacture Surface-branded keyboards and mice, these are typically sold at premium price points, and it's not clear whether any low-cost Microsoft-branded accessories will now make their way over to the Surface line or not.

Microsoft also doesn't offer a Surface webcam right now, with the only thing close being a $799.99 smart Surface camera that's designed for conference rooms. Surface chief Panos Panay has hinted at Surface-branded webcams in the past, but Microsoft went on to release a Microsoft Modern Webcam for $69.99 in 2021.

This also means that Microsoft's well-regarded ergonomic keyboards might be going away. Microsoft does offer a Surface-branded ergonomic keyboard, but at a retail price of $129, it's more than double the regular Microsoft Ergonomic Keyboard at $59.99. Microsoft isn't commenting on its plans here.

News of Microsoft's PC accessories shift comes months after the company said it had changed its "hardware portfolio" amid 10,000 job cuts. The PC market is suffering right now, and Microsoft's devices revenue, which includes Surface, PC accessories, and HoloLens, dropped by 30 percent year over year in its recent fiscal Q3 results.

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