Apple files patent application for a third-generation Apple Pencil

3 min readUpdated Jan 2, 2023Jan 2, 20238:00 AM

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The late Steve Jobs introduced the touchscreen Apple iPhone in January 2007 by famously saying, “Who wants a stylus? You have to get them and put them away and you lose them. Yuck! Nobody wants a stylus.” But in 2015, the Apple Pencil was unveiled for the iPad Pro. Of course, the Apple Pencil is much more advanced than the simple stylus that Jobs was familiar with back in the day. Three years later, Apple’s second-generation Pencil was announced.

And now Apple appears ready to take its digital writing instrument to another level. According to Patently Apple, the company recently filed patent application number US 20220413636 A1 with the US Patent & Trademark Office for an optical sensor that would be used with the next-generation Apple Pencil. The sensor would allow the pencil to copy the texture and the color found on the surface of an item. It also would be able to wirelessly send this data to a laptop so it could be used with a drawing program.

According to the patent application, the pencil would contain a light sensor and a light emitter which would help the device “sample” the color and texture of a surface. Yanko Design created some renders showing what the Apple Pencil would look like with the optical sensors included in the design of the new digital stylus.

Based on the patent application, the optical sensors for the Apple Pencil could look like this Image credit-Yanko Design

Apple has applied for or received a patent for other ideas and innovations related to the Apple Pencil. In 2021, it received a patent for an Apple Pencil with interchangeable nibs (the writing tip on the end of the accessory). The nib can be changed to replace one that is worn down, or could be changed to change the capabilities of the nib based on “a color, a shape, a thickness, a size, a brightness, or an opacity.” While you can currently replace a worn-out tip, it doesn’t add any new features to the accessory.

Nearly three years ago, Apple filed a patent application for an Apple Pencil with a biometric security feature, a method to use the number of times the pencil is tapped on the screen as an input that could be used to initiate a copy function, a paste function, an undo function, and/or a redo function.” Other possible additions to the Apple Pencil that we’ve seen mentioned in a patent application include “a speaker, a rotary input device, a microphone, an on/off button, a mute button, a biometric sensor, a camera, a force and/or touch-sensitive trackpad, and so on.”

If we do see a new Apple Pencil, it might not be until the 2024 iPad Pro is introduced, which could be the first iPad to sport an OLED display. When you think about it, that might be the perfect time to offer a new digital stylus with the ability to sample colors and textures lifted by the pencil, and include features such as a microphone and a camera.

Just because you see something in a patent application or even a patent, it doesn’t mean you should expect it to be used in a consumer device right away. In fact, of the large number of patents that Apple receives every year, many are never used. So we can’t say for certain that the technology covered in a patent application or a patent will be used by the company. However, it does make sense that Apple would want to keep improving the capabilities of the Apple Pencil.

In 2021, a tipster shared a video of what he claimed was the third-gen Apple Pencil and it showed a glossy body with a magnetic flat edge for charging. A new Apple Pencil would be expected to offer longer battery life and improvements in latency and precision.

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Questions & Answers

What is the primary new feature described in the latest patent application for the Apple Pencil?

The recent patent application details an optical sensor designed to allow the Apple Pencil to copy the texture and colour from the surface of an item. This data could then be wirelessly sent to a laptop for use with drawing software.

What other Apple Pencil innovations have been mentioned in past patent applications?

Previous patent applications have included features like interchangeable nibs, a biometric security feature, and the ability to use taps for functions such as copy or undo. Mentions of a speaker, microphone, and camera have also appeared.

When might a new Apple Pencil with these advanced features potentially be released?

A new Apple Pencil might be introduced around the time the 2024 iPad Pro is released. This iPad is expected to feature an OLED display, which could be an opportune moment for a new stylus.

Does Apple filing a patent application guarantee that a new feature will appear in a product?

No, filing a patent application or even receiving a patent does not guarantee its use in a consumer device. Many patents filed by Apple each year are never incorporated into their products.

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