FEATUREfinally relented and rolled out Apple Pencil support
to all current models of the iPad. At this point, what’s
another device?
But rather than focusing on if we’ll be able to use
the Apple Pencil with the iPad, I’d like to focus on why.
Yes, yes, let’s go ahead and get it out of the way: Steve
Jobs famously said “yuck” when discussing styluses in
the context of iPhones, but at the time he mainly meant
using them as primary input devices.
The Apple Pencil has never been one of those. It’s
always been second fiddle to the touch controls in iOS,
and its interface conveniences mainly exist to spare us
the awkwardness of setting down the Pencil after we’ve
been using it for writing, drawing, or highlighting. It’s
never been considered a must-have accessory, which is
probably one reason why Apple has never bothered to
put one in the box.
Calling the Apple Pencil a ‘stylus’ feels like an insult.
It’s an elegantly balanced tool with stroke weight
sensitivity that appeals to both calligraphers and artists.
And while it may only be used on the iPhone by a small
percentage of people who use the Apple Pencil on their
iPads, that’s no reason to exclude it from Apple’s most
iconic contemporary device.The right time
There are also good practical reasons why it’s a good
time to introduce the Apple Pencil to the iPhone. iOS
13 will ditch 3D Touch, which was long considered a
technology that would conflict with the Apple Pencil.
Phones are also larger now, making them much better
suited to a device like the Apple Pencil than the tinyFEATURE
finallyrelentedandrolledoutApplePencilsupport
toallcurrentmodelsoftheiPad.Atthispoint,what’s
anotherdevice?
Butratherthanfocusingonifwe’llbeabletouse
theApplePencilwiththeiPad,I’dliketofocusonwhy.
Yes,yes,let’sgoaheadandgetitoutoftheway:Steve
Jobsfamouslysaid“yuck”whendiscussingstylusesin
thecontextofiPhones,butatthetimehemainlymeant
usingthemasprimaryinputdevices.
TheApplePencilhasneverbeenoneofthose.It’s
alwaysbeensecondfiddletothetouchcontrolsiniOS,
anditsinterfaceconveniencesmainlyexisttospareus
theawkwardnessofsettingdownthePencilafterwe’ve
beenusingitforwriting,drawing,orhighlighting.It’s
never been considered a must-have accessory, which is
probablyonereasonwhy Apple has never bothered to
putoneinthebox.
CallingtheApplePencila‘stylus’feelslikeaninsult.
It’s an elegantlybalancedtoolwithstrokeweight
sensitivitythatappealstobothcalligraphersandartists.
And whileit mayonlybeusedontheiPhonebya small
percentageofpeoplewhousetheApplePencilontheir
iPads,that’snoreasontoexcludeitfromApple’smost
iconiccontemporarydevice.The right time
Therearealsogoodpracticalreasonswhyit’sa good
timetointroducetheApplePenciltotheiPhone.iOS
13 will ditch3DTouch,whichwaslongconsidereda
technologythatwouldconflictwiththeApplePencil.
Phones are also larger now, making them much better
suited to a device like the Apple Pencil than the tiny