A reference to a USB-C charging Apple Pencil was discovered in the latest iOS 17.1 beta.
Right now both Apple Pencil models do not support USB-C charging, which hints at a future product that will soon come. A reference in the code mentioned ‘connect to USB-C to recharge soon’, and another line that says ‘Apple Pencil battery very low.’ However, it isn’t clear whether the text refers to a future Apple Pencil or the USB-C to Pencil adapter, which allows users to charge their original Apple Pencil through a 10th-generation iPad.

Apple’s move to adding text on the iOS 17.1 beta doesn’t seem to make sense, especially when the adapter launched last year. This might mean a new iPad model is in the works, or that a new Apple Pencil with a USB-C port might be coming next. USB-C is a logical next feature since the iPhone and iPad have started supporting the technology.