Leaf&Core

Apple Pencil Support Coming to iPhone?

Danielle from Leaf and Core
Reading Time: 3 minutes.

via 9to5Mac

Steve Jobs famously lambasted styli when introducing the first iPhone. This was at a time that many Windows and Palm based smartphones required a stylus for use, and Blackberry smartphones had a simple roller-based interface. The magic of the iPhone was its capacitive multitouch screen. He pointed out that the best stylus was on the end of our hands, our own fingers.

The iPad Pro was announced later, bringing with it a new kind of stylus. The Apple Pencil wasn’t just a pointing device, it discern orientation and pressure, enabling it to be used like a pencil or brush, rather than a ballpoint pen. Creative professionals love it. I often use it when editing photos on my iPad. Since then, Apple fans have asked for it on other Apple devices, mainly the iMac and MacBook lineup. Two separate sources have claimed that Apple will instead pair the Apple Pencil with an unlikely device: the iPhone.

The Claim

In 2016, during an interview, Tim Cook was asked about the Apple Pencil on the iPad. It was suggested that Cook might feel as though they’ve done the wrong thing by introducing what is essentially a fancy stylus for the iPad. They suggested that Steve Jobs might not be pleased. Tim Cook responded,

“Well we launched a pencil, not a stylus, first of all, and there’s a big difference, and the things that people are doing with this pencil, I think that Steve would have loved. He loved to help people create. And if you’ve ever seen what can be created with that pencil on an iPad or an iPhone, it’s really unbelievable.”

– Tim Cook

Did you catch that? Tim Cook specifically mentioned using the Apple Pencil with the iPad or the iPhone. This was the first hint we got, the first suggestion that Apple was working on a version of the iPhone with Apple Pencil compatibility.

Two separate sources, Economic Daily News and Trendforce, have claimed that industry insiders leaked information about the upcoming iPhone models. Of the three iPhones Apple will introduce this year, the two “high-end” OLED iPhone models based on the iPhone X design will come with Apple Pencil support.

This Doesn’t Make Sense

My first reaction was “why?” The iPhone X doesn’t have a screen that feels large enough to support a stylus. A larger iPhone X, perhaps, but not the current one, surely. The Apple Pencil is longer than the iPhone, how would people walk around with this? Why would they want to carry such a large accessory for their phone? What would anyone use it for, anyway?

The Galaxy Note series has a clever answer to this. The Note has a small area that stores the S-Pen that comes with it. This allows Samsung’s stylus to always be ready for use with the Galaxy Note phone. It’s doubtful that Apple would do the same thing. That wouldn’t be seamless enough for Apple, and would require a tiny Apple Pencil that could fit in an iPhone. The Apple Pencil and the Note Stylus are two very different things. Apple wants the Pencil to be positioned as an artist’s tool. It’s comfortable and feature-rich. The S-Pen, on the other hand, is a pointing and utilitarian device, marketed to business professionals.

Ok, Maybe Some Sense

However, I realized this might make some sense for Apple. First, it’s a way to differentiate the high-end iPhone models from the “budget” iPhone. Since they’ll all be around the same size, and feature Apple’s edge-to-edge display (and notch), there will be little to differentiate the phones. The budget iPhone will come with an LCD screen, as it’s cheaper to produce, and only one camera, but that might not be enough to justify a $100-300 price difference. Pencil support helps differentiate the iPad lineup, and could do the same for the iPhone.

The other idea is to think of the Apple Pencil like the AirPods. The AirPods aren’t just for your iPhone, they’re also for your other Apple devices, or anything with Bluetooth support. Apple could position the Apple Pencil the same way. It’s something you can take from your iPad to your iPhone, allowing you to work on the go. I’ve certainly taken screenshots, made app design mockups, and edited photos quickly with my iPhone, and the Apple Pencil would have made these tasks easier. If I already have an Apple Pencil for my iPad, why not use it for my iPhone?

Something More?

This also could be the beginning of something more. I’ve wanted Apple Pencil support for the Mac since it was introduced. I still prefer to do serious photo editing and graphics work on my MacBook Pro. If the MacBook Pro had an Apple Pencil-sensitive touch screen or touch pad, it would make this workflow wonderful. Microsoft and PC manufacturers may be ahead of Apple on this, but Apple Pencil support would be the right way to bring touchscreen Macs to the public. I hope the Apple Pencil does become as versatile as the AirPods, used across my devices seamlessly.

Apple’s iPhone announcement is next month. They may also reveal new iPads, new Apple Watches, and perhaps minor updates for the iMac. We may also get an early look at the new Mac Pro, and perhaps an update for the aging Mac Mini, but no reliable source has claimed this yet. It doesn’t hurt to hope!

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