Apple has also announced a new Apple Pencil to accompany it’s new 2018 iPad Pro models. The new Apple Pencil features inductive charging and is designed to magnetically attach to the edge of the new iPad Pro for pairing, storage and recharging, adding a new level of convenience for keeping the stylus close at hand while also ensuring it’s always fully charged.
The inductive charging also means that the new Apple Pencil gains a seamless design, with no end cap to worry about falling off or losing. In addition, the new Apple Pencil also includes the ability to change tools with a double-tap on the stylus itself — a gesture that can be customized by app developers to perform specific contextual functions appropriate for whichever app is in use.
According to Apple’s product page, the original Apple Pencil does not appear to be compatible with the new iPad Pro models; while the switch to USB-C would make it more complicated to charge the older Lightning-based stylus, making for a less than optimal user experience, it’s less clear why it shouldn’t still be possible to pair the older Apple Pencil via Bluetooth. Apple is also charging a higher price of $129 for the new Apple Pencil, while continuing to sell the original version for $99 for users or prior iPad Pro models, or those who may still be interested in picking up the older 10.5-inch iPad Pro.