A new patent submitted by Apple hints at a comeback of the Touch Bar for the Apple Pencil.
Under the patent title ‘Mountable tool computer input’, the patent discusses having a MacBook Pro with a positioned touch screen near a keyboard for providing more than just a set of keys. The touch screen has a drawback for some people as touch typists dislike it for lacking tactile feedback compared to mechanical and moving keys. The patent also uses the Pencil in the area that was previously used for the Touch Bar.
Apple outlines the problems in a Touch Bar, claiming that it obscures the vision. Furthermore, the user will have a different focal distance and must readjust to interact or read the touch screen. In this case, the touch panel may have a touch-sensitive surface that can be used by other components, like an Apple Pencil.