Apple Rumors: Pencil 2 To Be Unveiled With 10.5-Inch iPad Pro In March?


The Apple Pencil, which is a digital stylus, was first released in 2015. Lately, there has been a certain amount of buzz regarding whether or not Apple may soon be releasing the Pencil 2, a new and improved version of the product.

As the Inquisitr reported at the time, speculation surrounding the Apple Pencil 2 began to heat up in the spring of 2016. At the time, it was reported that years after filing a patent for an “intelligent stylus” in 2011, it was ultimately awarded by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Citing information from Mikey Campbell of Apple Insider, the Inquisitr also reported at the time that a second-generation version of the Apple Pencil did not appear to be imminent. The Inquisitr noted that even though Apple had been awarded the new patent, the original Apple Pencil was still a very young product.

During recent months, however, new rumors have begun to suggest that an Apple Pencil 2 might actually be in the works. Last August, Bloomberg reported on the possibility of improvements coming to the Apple Pencil 2 as part of an iPad update, saying the information came from someone “familiar with the matter.”

Bloomberg also described some of the ways in which a potential Apple Pencil 2 might differ from its predecessor, suggesting it may be able to function in a greater number of apps.

“Apple has considered allowing users to annotate objects in many applications across the whole operating system, including in Mail, the Safari web browser, and iMessage, similar to what Samsung Electronics Co.offers on its Note smartphones, the person said. Currently, Apple only supports Pencil functionality in specifically developed apps.”

In recent days, rumors have begun circulating that the Apple Pencil 2 may be making its debut as early as this coming spring. Citing information from Wei Feng, a Chinese website, Oscar Raymundo of MacWorld recently reported that Apple may unveil the Pencil 2 in the company of a new 10.5-inch iPad Pro in March. Mac Rumors has reported the same, saying that “rumors from the Asian supply chain” suggest that the Apple Pencil 2 may make its premiere “at an event rumored to take place in March.”

As Zac Hall of 9 to 5 Mac points out, the question of what the new Apple Pencil 2 would be like is something that remains to be seen. However, the recent patent grant, combined with the report from Bloomberg last fall, may offer a few hints.

Although the Apple Pencil is already well-liked by many, some have complained that the digital stylus has its shortcomings. According to 9 to 5 Mac, one of the issues that has been reported with the original Apple Pencil is the lack of having a place to store it.

According to Brandon Russell of Techno Buffalo, the Apple Pencil 2 may have magnetic features, which would enable a user to attach the stylus to their iPad when it is not in use. Much like a regular pen, Techno Buffalo also notes that the Pencil 2 may come equipped with with a pen clip, enabling a user to simply carry it in their shirt pocket while also eliminating the risk of it rolling off of a table.

Techno Buffalo also reports that “interchangeable tips” and “an eraser” may be among other features that the Apple Pencil 2 might feature. MacWorld also suggests that wireless charging may be a possibility for the Apple Pencil 2.

Still, it remains to be seen whether or not the rumors about the Apple Pencil 2 will prove to be true. 9 to 5 Mac calls the rumors “sketchy” and says there is currently “no evidence” that Apple intends to release a second-generation Pencil in 2017. ValueWalk suggests the news “should be taken with a pinch of salt.”

If the rumors turn out to be false, there is ways the original Apple Pencil to fall back on. According to Apple’s website, the first generation Apple Pencil currently comes at a price of $99.

The Apple Pencil has been a hit with artists, and as the Inquisitr has reported, even notetakers. If the rumors do in fact turn out to be true, would you be excited about the new and improved Apple Pencil 2 and the 10.5-inch iPad Pro?

[Featured Image by Stephen Lam/Getty Images]

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