Apple Pencil with USB-C may be on the way
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Apple may be preparing for the Apple Pencil 3 with USB-C, but it's difficult to pinpoint exactly what the code reference in iOS 17.1 Beta 2 suggests.
The 10.9-inch iPad was released with USB-C and sophisticated support for the first generation. generation of Apple Pencil. Rumors pointed to a new Apple Pencil model that would solve the awkward charging situation and began to take hold.
Code discovered by MacRumors' Steve Moser suggests Apple may be working on an Apple Pencil 3 with USB-C. However, the code could also be a shortened reference to an existing Lightning-based Pencil with a USB-C dongle.
Apple faced a design conundrum with the 10.9-inch iPad that prevented it from supporting the second-generation magnetic Apple Pencil, so it relied on dongles. Those who have a 10.9-inch iPad and want to use the Apple Pencil need a charging dongle designed specifically to adapt a Lightning-based Apple Pencil to a USB-C port.
It looks like Apple may have a solution to this problem by doing away with the dongle entirely if the Apple Pencil 3 can charge via USB-C.
Changes in iOS 17.1 Beta 2 (21B5056e):
– Double Tap support added to watchOS 10.1 Beta 2 for Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2
– New standby settingsApple Pencil 3?
Also, code in beta -Version 2 suggests that Apple may plan the Apple Pencil 3 with support for USB-C charging. Apple pic.twitter.com/3eeZuW9Zoq
— Steve Moser (@SteveMoser) October 3, 2023
A separate rumor suggests that the Apple Pencil 3 may have replaceable magnetic tips. Very few verifiable sources have discussed the new Apple Pencil, so it may still be early days for the product's development.
Since the code appeared in iOS 17.1 Beta 2, this may simply be a reference to existing hardware and not an Apple bug. If there is a new Apple Pencil, it will likely be announced alongside the new iPads, which likely won't arrive until spring 2024.
