Apple Ditched Plan for $50 Apple Pencil With iPhone Support at the Last Minute, Claims Sketchy Rumor

Apple planned to introduce a new $49 Apple Pencil this year that was compatible with iPhones, but scrapped the plans at the last minute, claims a sketchy new rumor coming out of Asia.

apple pencil red
According to a Weibo post, shared on Twitter by DuanRui, Apple allegedly intended to release the new ‌Apple Pencil‌, codenamed "Maker" (or, more likely, "Marker") at its September 2022 event, and even went so far as to mass produce over one million units of the accessory, only to can its launch at the eleventh hour for unspecified reasons.

To cut costs, the device allegedly lacked pressure sensing technology or a rechargeable battery, and instead utilized an onboard chip to power the stylus through the iPad or iPhone screen, similar to how Samsung's S-Pen stylus works.

At $49, the unreleased ‌Apple Pencil‌ would have been significantly cheaper than the first-generation and second-generation ‌Apple Pencil‌ models, which are priced at $99 and $129, respectively.

Unfortunately, the source of the ‌Apple Pencil‌ rumor has no track record, so the claims need to be taken with a large pinch of salt. Furthermore, this isn't the first time we've heard rumors of an Apple Pencil being developed to work with iPhones, none of which have come to fruition.


Still, a battery-less ‌Apple Pencil‌ would pair well with the latest tenth-generation ‌iPad‌, which comes with a USB-C port and requires an ungainly $9 Lightning dongle to work with the first-generation ‌Apple Pencil‌. Again though, why Apple would kill plans for an accessory that had entered mass production is unclear.

If it really was a thing, and so many units were manufactured by Apple, then past history would suggest some units will eventually be leaked. Would you welcome an ‌Apple Pencil‌ for ‌iPhone‌? Let us know in the comments.

Related Forum: iPad Accessories

Popular Stories

Aston Martin CarPlay Ultra Screen

Apple's CarPlay Ultra to Expand to These Vehicle Brands Later This Year

Sunday February 1, 2026 10:08 am PST by
Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. Nearly nine months later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin's latest luxury vehicles, but that should change fairly soon. In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. In his Powe...
Apple Logo Black

Apple's Next Launch is 'Imminent'

Sunday February 1, 2026 12:31 pm PST by
The calendar has turned to February, and a new report indicates that Apple's next product launch is "imminent," in the form of new MacBook Pro models. "All signs point to an imminent launch of next-generation MacBook Pros that retain the current form factor but deliver faster chips," Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said on Sunday. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated...
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by
We are still waiting for the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate to come out, so the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week or two away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far. iOS 26.3 iPhone to Android Transfer Tool iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

New MacBook Pros Reportedly Launching Alongside macOS 26.3

Sunday February 1, 2026 5:42 am PST by
Apple is planning to launch new MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips alongside macOS 26.3, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "Apple's faster MacBook Pros are planned for the macOS 26.3 release cycle," wrote Gurman, in his Power On newsletter today. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated for the macOS 26.3 software cycle, which runs from...
iOS 26 Home Feature

Apple Gives Final Warning to Home App Users

Tuesday February 3, 2026 8:55 am PST by
In 2022, Apple introduced a new Apple Home architecture that is "more reliable and efficient," and the deadline to upgrade and avoid issues is fast approaching. In an email this week, Apple gave customers a final reminder to upgrade their Home app by February 10, 2026. Apple says users who do not upgrade may experience issues with accessories and automations, or lose access to their smart...

Top Rated Comments

mystery hill Avatar
42 months ago
$50 was the intended price for the case that holds the pencil.
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JamonBull Avatar
42 months ago
A “sketchy” rumour indeed…
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
akbarali.ch Avatar
42 months ago
Yes, there are times during conversation/discussion with peers I feel like if I had a pencil or something I would've drawn things to explain them better. I use my finger which is very bad for writing/drawing on such a small area.

And yes, Samsung made the write decision to include one with their phone. Its neat.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bmac89 Avatar
42 months ago
$50 Apple accessory… LOL yeah right! ?
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dantracht Avatar
42 months ago
Sorry, don't believe this for a second.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HeavenDynamic Avatar
42 months ago

Again though, why Apple would kill plans for an accessory that had entered mass production is unclear.


Attachment Image
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)