William Gallagher
Alongside its launch of the new iPad Pro and iPad Air, Apple has introduced the Apple Pencil Pro, the first significant addition to the lineup in six years.
As previously expected, and heavily hinted at by Apple's "Let Loose" event logos, a new Apple Pencil has been launched. The Apple Pencil Pro now takes the place of the 2018 second-generation model as the top of the range.
In addition to all of the features of that second generation model such as hover mode, the Apple Pencil Pro adds squeeze gestures. Squeezing the sides of the Apple Pencil Pro can bring up a menu, so users don't have to keep moving around the screen.
A gyroscope can help change the orientation of a brush, or to change tools in a drawing app, simply by rolling it around. Haptic feedback provides real-time touch-based responses, so users can tell when they have selected or positioned an item, for example.
There's also now Find My support, so you can never truly lose your stylus when you need it most.
Apple Pencil Pro was announced alongside the new iPads and it requires iPad Pro or iPad Air, running iPadOS 17.5.
With this new Apple Pencil, the lineup now consists of:
- Apple Pencil Pro
- Apple Pencil (second generation)
- Apple Pencil (USB-C)
- Apple Pencil (first generation)
The original Apple Pencil from 2015 is still required for older iPads such as the first and second generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro, and the 10.5-inch iPad Pro.
Apple introduced the lower-cost Apple Pencil (USB-C) in 2023. It resembles the second-generation model, but has no pressure sensitivity, and charges via USB-C instead of wirelessly.
Apple Pencil Pro costs $129 and will be available to pre-order later on Tuesday, with availability next week.
Christine McKee
Charles Martin
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4 Comments
Very nice.
Compatible with M2 iPad Air but not M2 iPad Pro.
It would be really great if Apple made the Pencil Pro backwards compatible to all former Apple Pencils and iPads for at least 6 to 7 years as they do with Mac computers. I know the Mac Computers do not require, need or use an Apple Pencil but my point is backwards compatibility. Just like iPads are compatible with their own specific models, i.e. Pro's, Air, standard iPad and mini. Yes, it takes away the cheaper option but for those who do not own a Pencil and now would like one now, thus, I would have to purchase basically a several year old product. Then when I will be upgrading my current iPad then I have a Pencil that would work with it and not have to purchase another one that is now compatible with the new iPad model I purchase at the time.