Could the Next Apple Pencil Double as an iPhone Stylus?
Apple has been granted a patent for a next-generation Apple Pencil that could work across multiple devices, including the iPhone and Mac.
The patent describes a stylus equipped with optical sensors that wouldn't require a capacitive touchscreen. Instead, it would use sensors embedded in the Pencil itself to detect movement, tilt, rotation, and position.
Unlike current Apple Pencil models that only work with iPads, this new design could function on any surface. The tip would be made from transparent material, allowing light to pass through to analyze movement characteristics.
The patent shows the stylus being used with iPad, MacBook Pro, iPhone, and Apple Watch. For iPhone users, it would be the first time Apple has offered stylus support – something Samsung has long provided with its Galaxy Note series.
Beyond drawing, the patent envisions other uses like cursor control, file navigation, and system-level actions. While patents don't guarantee products, they do suggest that Apple is interested in expanding Apple Pencil beyond the iPad.
Could this be connected to the touchscreen MacBook that Apple is rumored to be developing? Or a future iPhone stylus? We'll have to wait and see. But it's worth remembering what the late Steve Jobs famously said when unveiling the first iPhone in 2007: "Who wants a stylus? You have to get them and put them away, and you lose them. Yuck! Nobody wants a stylus."
Popular Stories
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...
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...
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...
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 recently updated its online store with a new ordering process for Macs, including the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro.
There used to be a handful of standard configurations available for each Mac, but now you must configure a Mac entirely from scratch on a feature-by-feature basis. In other words, ordering a new Mac now works much like ordering an...
