Amber Neely
A new video of the Apple Pencil Pro has surfaced, highlighting a nifty little feature that showcases Apple's commitment to detail.
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.
It's so overkill https://t.co/Ez8OICRyAN pic.twitter.com/YdWFESLbd0
— Nicols lvarez (@nicolas09F9) May 18, 2024
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.
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
AppleInsider Staff
Chip Loder
Malcolm Owen
4 Comments
Ya know...
For someone who remembers what it took to draw a single static line on the screen on an Apple ][, this sort of thing is fundamentally amazing and also just plain amazing.
Glad there are still new things to try with interface elements.
Incredible. Can’t wait to get my sketchin’ hand on that.
That's wild. This is the kind of thing I have always admired Apple for. Glad to seem it making a comeback.
It's that nearly-imperceptible little something extra (that required a lot of investment) that makes it feel like magic.
Apple = quality.
Yes, Jobs excelled at having all Apple products have some spark of magic and delight, even if it were only small details. Every Apple product needs one small touch like this, and we need to see more.