Apple has unveiled an affordable Apple Pencil that features a USB-C connection. Priced at $79, this accessory is designed with a sliding cap that reveals the USB-C port for charging. Additionally, it magnetically attaches to the side edge of an iPad, including the 10th-generation model introduced by Apple last year.
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The lower price tag of this Pencil means that it doesn’t come with some of the advanced features found in the first- and second-generation Apple Pencils. Notably, it lacks support for pressure sensitivity, wireless pairing, wireless charging, and the double-tap feature that allows users to switch between tools. However, it still supports hover functionality with M2 models of the iPad Pro.
The first Apple Pencil model featured a Lightning connector that extended from it to plug into the iPad’s port for charging. In contrast, the second-generation Apple Pencil introduced wireless charging and magnetic attachment capabilities but wasn’t compatible with the 10th-generation iPad Apple launched last year. This development led to some confusion among iPad accessory users.
The USB-C Apple Pencil is compatible with a range of iPads, including the third- to sixth-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro, the first- to fourth-generation 11-inch iPad Pro, the fourth- and fifth-generation iPad Air, the 10th-gen iPad, and the sixth-gen iPad Mini. It is set to be available in early November.
In 2018, Apple released the Apple Pencil 2, a significant upgrade over the original model. It introduced features like wireless charging, magnetic attachment to supported iPads, and support for gesture controls to switch between tools while using an app. However, these enhancements came with an increased price of $129, a $30 bump from the first Apple Pencil.
Apple has been due for some updates to its iPad lineup. It introduced the 10th-generation iPad in October 2022, iPad Pros powered by M2 chips in the same month, an iPad Air with an M1 chip in March 2022, and the redesigned iPad Mini in September 2021.
