Apple highlights Apple Pencil support in new 9.7-inch iPad ads

Adding to a slate of new commercials pushing this year's 9.7-inch iPad revamp, Apple on Monday published a series of four short ads touting the tablet's compatibility with Apple Pencil.

Currently available for viewing through Apple's regional UK YouTube channel, the 12- to 17-second spots highlight unique Apple Pencil capabilities like image markup, drawing and writing, all features previously restricted to iPad Pro. Each video segment is set to the tune "Masterpiece" by NONONO.

A first video illustrates iPad's newfound note-taking abilities, showing a disembodied hand highlighting the words "Apple Pencil" — with an Apple Pencil — on an iPad. The user zooms out to reveal a page of iPad and Apple Pencil related notes, sketches and drawings completed in the app Notability.

The second ad shows an artist doodling on a photo using Tayasui Sketches Pro, an app that offers a wide array of drawing and sketching tools. Here, Apple slyly works in a demonstration of Apple Pencil's intuitive input controls by selecting the app's calligraphy brush tool, which varies line thickness based on tilt and pressure.

A third ad shows what Apple Pencil can do with Keynote and iOS 11. Tapping on Files in the app drawer, the user selects an image of Apple Pencil and performs a drag-and-drop operation to insert the picture into their Keynote project. They then seamlessly pick up a real Apple Pencil to draw a few accents on the slide using Apple's built-in tools.

Finally, Apple promotes iOS 11's Markup feature, which allows users to take a screenshot, add annotations and save or send the image to other users via share sheets.

Since unveiling the sixth-generation 9.7-inch iPad at an education-focused event last month, Apple has been keen to play up the tablet's integration with its bespoke stylus. Previously restricted to iPad Pro models, Apple Pencil support opens the door to fast and accurate writing, image annotation, drawing and more.

Aside from the capacitive layer that makes Apple Pencil input possible, the new iPad gets an upgraded A10 Fusion processor. To keep costs down to an affordable $329, Apple retained legacy technology like a non-laminated display, 8MP camera and first-generation Touch ID.

The company's first 2018 iPad ads aired earlier this month when the budget model was lumped in with iPad Pros as part of a tutorial series.