Hey there fellow users,

I purchased an iMac (Retina 5K, 27-Inch, 2017, macOS 10.13.4, 4.2 GHz, 32GB, 3TB Fusion Drive) less than three weeks ago, and had it delivered by Apple here in distant, little New Zealand.

The iMac itself and extended Magic Keyboard that I opted for work without issues, but the Magic Trackpad 2 that came with it is being horrendously troublesome. I've seen similar issues throughout forums, but I believe that this problem requires more attention from Apple and have additional details to put forward on my end that I cannot find matches for through Google searches.

Hopefully this can a) Help others out, and b) Get Apple's attention, which seems to be an impossible task even after spending thousands of dollars with a company that supposedly prides itself on service. I hate ranting, but it has its place. I have tried to post this on Apple Communities, but upon doing so am told the following, which didn't end up resolving itself:

Your post could not be saved. Please try again in a few moments.

Symptoms

• Starts to disconnect after four to eight hours of use (if it has not been used for an extended period prior to switching on).
• Either ceases to click (through haptic feedback) and stays that way or continues to disconnect (stopping haptic feedback) and reconnect (re-enabling haptic feedback).
• When the aforementioned ceasing-to-click occurs, the trackpad is still functional as a touch surface (mouse movement, multi-finger gestures), but is visibly laggy (as though the screen has a reduced refresh rate).
• This behaviour occurs even though the trackpad is fully charged.
• When the issue first started occurring, it could be solved by plugging the trackpad in via a lightning cable. This now has no effect for some reason, and the observed behaviour is the same whether plugged in or wireless. Plugging it in renders different output in Console.app which confirms that the iMac detects it as a USB device.
• The issue remains after wirelessly connecting to a MacBook Air (11-Inch, Early 2015, macOS 10.13.3, 1.6GHz, 4GB, 120GB), and changing the location of both the Air and the trackpad does not change anything.
• Turning the trackpad off and on immediately after this disconnection behaviour previously fixed the issue for about 15 minutes, but now only fixes it for 15 seconds, after which the previous behaviour recurs.
• I can't confirm this as being consistent behaviour across attempts, but the iMac appears to cause the trackpad to simply stop working altogether, where the MacBook Air causes it to stop and then start repetitively.
• Console logs seem to indicate that macOS tries to contact https://mesu.apple.com to update the trackpad, but fails to do so due to a 403 Forbidden response from the server. This also happens for my Magic Keyboard, but there are no observed issues when using it.
• At one point when attached to the MacBook Air wirelessly, holding my finger down on the trackpad with enough force to normally make it click once, it would start clicking at about 15 clicks/second, with additional attempts sometimes causing about 7-8 clicks/second. Removing my finger from the trackpad stops this behaviour.

iMac Console.app

Note: names have been replaced with (me)

fud Stream event happened for filter: com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt
fud -[FudStateMachine isActive]: state=5 nextState=-1 filter=com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt
fud -[FudIpcDispatch dispatchStateMachineEvent:] - filter name: com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt - exclusion group - com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt
fud ExclusionGroupFilter: com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt (com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt)
fud Creating new state machine for event: FudEvent - Client:(null) Type:112 Filter:com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt Data:<dictionary: 0x7ff66680d050> { count = 4, transaction: 1, voucher = 0x7ff66680c1e0, contents =
fud StateMachine Dealloc pluginName=com.apple.MobileAccessoryUpdater.StandaloneHIDFudPlugins filterName=com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt
fud FW update policy: versionCheckDelay 0, inactivityDelayPreflight 0, bootstrapDelay 5, inactivityDelay 300, networkDelay 300, featureReportDelay 0, compatibilityVersion 2, batteryCheckHost 0, batteryCheckDevice 1, minBatteryHost 0, minBatteryDevice 5, STFWFirst 0, resetEveryFWPayload 0, deviceNeedsBTReconnect 1, sendSDPQueryNotification 1, bluetoothReconnectDelay 15 targetDevice
bluetoothd  examining device: (me)'s Trackpad
bluetoothd  BluetoothHIDDriverPublished - appleHIDDevice (me)'s Trackpad
bluetoothd  examining device: (me)'s Trackpad
System Preferences  IOBluetoothDevicePair setAppleDeviceName: (me)'s Trackpad
bluetoothd  setHIDDeviceLinkSupervisionTimeout for device (me)'s Trackpad, timeout = 0x1F40 slots
bluetoothd  setQoSSettingsOnDevice for (me)'s Trackpad
hidd    [HID] [MT] MTActuatorManagement::getActuatorRef Calling MTActuatorOpen() outside of MTTrackpadHIDManager.
fud checking updates for <private>
fud Enabling stream events for suspended device class: com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt
fud ExclusionGroupFilter: com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt (com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt)
fud Modal Default Client - Got device attach event for com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt updateInProgress=0 queue[0]=(
mobileassetd    handleCopyMatchingAssets: HANDLER - assetQuery [com.apple.MobileAsset.MobileAccessoryUpdate.TrackpadFirmware.6]: (local=0) [_CompatibilityVersion == 2]
mobileassetd    Attempting to refresh Metadata at: com_apple_MobileAsset_MobileAccessoryUpdate_TrackpadFirmware_6/com_apple_MobileAsset_MobileAccessoryUpdate_TrackpadFirmware_6.xml -- https://mesu.apple.com/assets/macos/
mobileassetd    -[ASAssetMetadataDownloader downloadMetadataFromURL:withOptions:ifNewerThan:completionHandler:]_block_invoke: Performing GET request on https://mesu.apple.com/assets/macos/com_apple_MobileAsset_MobileAccessoryUpdate_TrackpadFirmware_6/com_apple_MobileAsset_MobileAccessoryUpdate_TrackpadFirmware_6.xml without If-Modified-Since field
mobileassetd    -[ASAssetMetadataDownloader URLSession:dataTask:didReceiveResponse:completionHandler:]_block_invoke: server error for https://mesu.apple.com/assets/macos/com_apple_MobileAsset_MobileAccessoryUpdate_TrackpadFirmware_6/com_apple_MobileAsset_MobileAccessoryUpdate_TrackpadFirmware_6.xml (status 403)
fud _MobileAssetSendCopyMatchingAssetsCommand: [MobileAssetError:27] Unable to copy asset information from https://mesu.apple.com/assets/macos/ for asset type com.apple.MobileAsset.MobileAccessoryUpdate.TrackpadFirmware.6
mobileassetd    handleCopyMatchingAssets: HANDLER - assetQuery [com.apple.MobileAsset.MobileAccessoryUpdate.TrackpadFirmware.6]: (local=1) [_CompatibilityVersion == 2]
fud _MobileAssetSendCopyMatchingAssetsCommand: [MobileAssetError:29] Unable to copy asset information from https://mesu.apple.com/assets/macos/ for asset type com.apple.MobileAsset.MobileAccessoryUpdate.TrackpadFirmware.6
fud -[FudStateMachine didFind:info:updateAvailable:needsDownload:error:]: find was not successful: Error Domain=ASError Code=20 "Unable to copy asset information from https://mesu.apple.com/assets/macos/ for asset type com.apple.MobileAsset.MobileAccessoryUpdate.TrackpadFirmware.6" UserInfo={NSDescription=Unable to copy asset information from https://mesu.apple.com/assets/macos/ for asset type com.apple.MobileAsset.MobileAccessoryUpdate.TrackpadFirmware.6, PluginName=com.apple.MobileAccessoryUpdater.StandaloneHIDFudPlugins, DeviceClassName=com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt}
fud Modal Default Client - completed step:Find device:com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt successful:NO next-step:Find silentUpdate=1 error:Error Domain=ASError Code=20 "Unable to copy asset information from https://mesu.apple.com/assets/macos/ for asset type com.apple.MobileAsset.MobileAccessoryUpdate.TrackpadFirmware.6" UserInfo={NSDescription=Unable to copy asset information from https://mesu.apple.com/assets/macos/ for asset type com.apple.MobileAsset.MobileAccessoryUpdate.TrackpadFirmware.6, PluginName=com.apple.MobileAccessoryUpdater.StandaloneHIDFudPlugins, DeviceClassName=com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt}
nsurlsessiond   [15 <private> stream, bundle id: fud, pid: 163, url: https://mesu.apple.com/assets/macos/com_apple_MobileAsset_MobileAccessoryUpdate_TrackpadFirmware_6/com_apple_MobileAsset_MobileAcc, tls, indefinite] cancelled

MacBook Air Console.app

Note: names have been replaced with (me)

AirPlayXPCHelper    (me)'s Trackpad has no service mask
mobileassetd    handleCopyAssetAttributes: [System Preferences] HANDLER - copyAssetAttributes [com.apple.MobileAsset.prefpanes.TrackpadMouseVideos.17]: com_apple_MobileAsset_prefpanes_TrackpadMouseVideos_17/1fd95700e769cbaeb33e1f89e032b747cd754d90.zip
mobileassetd    handleCopyAssetAttributes: [System Preferences] HANDLER - copyAssetAttributes [com.apple.MobileAsset.prefpanes.TrackpadMouseVideos.17]: com_apple_MobileAsset_prefpanes_TrackpadMouseVideos_17/1fd95700e769cbaeb33e1f89e032b747cd754d90.zip
mobileassetd    handleCopyAssetAttributes: [System Preferences] HANDLER - copyAssetAttributes [com.apple.MobileAsset.prefpanes.TrackpadMouseVideos.17]: com_apple_MobileAsset_prefpanes_TrackpadMouseVideos_17/1fd95700e769cbaeb33e1f89e032b747cd754d90.zip
bluetoothd  ***** [handleL2CAPChannelOpened] Signalling channel = 0x7fce9473f360 opened for device = (me)'s Trackpad.
bluetoothd  BluetoothHIDDriverPublished - appleHIDDevice (me)'s Trackpad
bluetoothd  examining device: (me)'s Trackpad
fud Stream event happened for filter: com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt
fud -[FudStateMachine isActive]: state=5 nextState=-1 filter=com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt
fud -[FudIpcDispatch dispatchStateMachineEvent:] - filter name: com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt - exclusion group - com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt
fud ExclusionGroupFilter: com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt (com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt)
fud Creating new state machine for event: FudEvent - Client:(null) Type:112 Filter:com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt Data:<dictionary: 0x7faa86c18dc0> { count = 4, transaction: 1, voucher = 0x7faa86c1a3a0, contents =
fud StateMachine Dealloc pluginName=com.apple.MobileAccessoryUpdater.StandaloneHIDFudPlugins filterName=com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt
fud FW update policy: versionCheckDelay 0, inactivityDelayPreflight 0, bootstrapDelay 5, inactivityDelay 300, networkDelay 300, featureReportDelay 0, compatibilityVersion 2, batteryCheckHost 0, batteryCheckDevice 1, minBatteryHost 0, minBatteryDevice 5, STFWFirst 0, resetEveryFWPayload 0, deviceNeedsBTReconnect 1, sendSDPQueryNotification 1, bluetoothReconnectDelay 15 targetDevice
bluetoothd  setHIDDeviceLinkSupervisionTimeout for device (me)'s Trackpad, timeout = 0x1F40 slots
bluetoothd  setQoSSettingsOnDevice for (me)'s Trackpad
mobileassetd    handleCopyAssetAttributes: [System Preferences] HANDLER - copyAssetAttributes [com.apple.MobileAsset.prefpanes.TrackpadMouseVideos.17]: com_apple_MobileAsset_prefpanes_TrackpadMouseVideos_17/a33d9b52a7481ddcdadb8f909793ee4661d8c0f2.zip
mobileassetd    handleCopyAssetAttributes: [System Preferences] HANDLER - copyAssetAttributes [com.apple.MobileAsset.prefpanes.TrackpadMouseVideos.17]: com_apple_MobileAsset_prefpanes_TrackpadMouseVideos_17/a33d9b52a7481ddcdadb8f909793ee4661d8c0f2.zip
mobileassetd    handleCopyAssetAttributes: [System Preferences] HANDLER - copyAssetAttributes [com.apple.MobileAsset.prefpanes.TrackpadMouseVideos.17]: com_apple_MobileAsset_prefpanes_TrackpadMouseVideos_17/a33d9b52a7481ddcdadb8f909793ee4661d8c0f2.zip
fud reportID 0xB8 error 0xe00002d7
fud Enabling stream events for suspended device class: com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt
fud -[FudStateMachine performNextStepWithOptions:]: uncleared exception (Error Domain=com.apple.MobileAccessoryUpdater.StandaloneHIDFudPlugins.Trackpad6 Code=21 "Update params feature report ID 0xB8 failed with 0xE00002D7 kIOReturnOffline (device offline)" UserInfo={PluginName=com.apple.MobileAccessoryUpdater.StandaloneHIDFudPlugins, NSLocalizedDescription=Update params feature report ID 0xB8 failed with 0xE00002D7 kIOReturnOffline (device offline), DeviceClassName=com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt})