Apple Pencil Pro casts a fake shadow based on which tool you're using

The Apple Pencil Pro casts contextual shadows based on which tool you have selected

Apple released the new Apple Pencil Pro, an upgraded version of its popular iPad stylus, alongside its new iPads released in early May. The new Apple Pencil has received a few notable features, such as Squeeze and Barrel Roll, making it a serious contender for digital artists.

But those weren't the only features that popped up, either. The Apple Pencil Pro now casts contextual digital shadows, too.

Snazzy Labs posted a video to X showcasing how a detailed shadow lets users know which tool they're using when the Apple Pencil Pro hovers over one of the new iPads.

X user Nicolas Alvarez rooted around in the PencilKit framework and found ten 3D models that Apple created for the feature. While it is a relatively small feature, it's notable because it offers visual confirmation of which tool a user has selected.

This isn't the first time we've seen Apple's "alternative tips" for the Apple Pencil, either. In January, a patent popped up showing "computer-generated tool heads," which may surface as a new feature for the Apple Vision Pro.