Apple in 2015 unveiled the Apple Pencil, its first stylus that was designed to work with the original iPad Pro. Former Apple CEO Steve Jobs was famously against styluses, but the Apple Pencil has proven to be a useful tool for note taking, sketching, and more with the tablet form factor. The Apple Pencil has stuck around
since 2015, and as of today, all of Apple's iPads work with either the first or second-generation Apple Pencil. In the guide below, we cover everything you need to know about the Apple Pencil. The Apple Pencil is an Apple-designed stylus that works with Apple's iPads. It's called the Apple Pencil because of its resemblance to a traditional pencil, albeit with a definitively Apple-esque design. The Apple Pencil is used in lieu of a finger for precision tasks like writing and sketching, and it can also be used for navigating through the operating system. It's excellent for drawings, art creation, note taking, and similar tasks because it's precise, has palm rejection, and offers pressure and tilt sensitivity. In a nutshell, the Apple Pencil is meant to work like a traditional pencil, but instead of writing on paper, you write on the iPad's display. You can put your hand right on the iPad while you write, which, for a long time, was functionality other styluses were not able to accurately replicate. What are the differences between Apple Pencil 1 and Apple Pencil 2?There are two versions of the Apple Pencil, the first version released in 2015 and the second version released in 2018. The two do the same thing, but have different designs and charging mechanisms. Original Apple Pencil The biggest difference between the two Apple Pencils is their device compatibility. The Apple Pencil 2 works with newer iPads, while the original Apple Pencil works with older iPads. The second-generation Apple Pencil is sleeker, smaller, and more compact than the original Apple Pencil because it has no Lightning port at the end. It's designed to charge inductively through the iPad Pro so you stick it on the right side of the iPad in the flat area to initiate charging, with the Apple Pencil held onto the device using magnets. Apple Pencil 2 With the original Apple Pencil, there's a Lightning connector that lets it plug into the Lightning port of an iPad for charging purposes, which is inconvenient because of the size of the Apple Pencil. Apple also includes an adapter with the Apple Pencil 1 so you can charge it with any Lightning cable. Apple Pencil 2 has a more pencil-like design because it has a flat side and a sanded design that improves the texture. The Apple Pencil 1 is smooth and round. Apple Pencil 2 also supports touch gestures for swapping between tools, something not possible with the original Apple Pencil. Though there are different charging mechanisms and bells and whistles, Apple Pencil 1 and 2 fundamentally work in the same way and have the same general feature set. What devices are compatible with Apple Pencil?The original Apple Pencil, manufactured from 2015 on with the round body design and Lightning connector is compatible with the following devices:
The second-generation Apple Pencil with a smaller footprint and inductive charging capabilities is compatible with the following devices:
The original Apple Pencil cannot be used with models that are designed for the second-generation Apple Pencil, which includes the iPad mini 6 and the latest iPad Pro and iPad Air devices, and the Apple Pencil 2 does not work with older iPads nor entry-level devices like the standard iPad. What are the Apple Pencil's features?The Apple Pencil has a rich feature set, allowing it to be used for any precision task, or as a replacement for a finger when navigating through iOS. The need to know features are below:
Where can Apple Pencil be used?Apple Pencil can be used as a finger replacement to do things like open apps, scroll, and more, but support for Apple Pencil is also built into iPadOS. There are several unique Apple Pencil features worth being aware of for those thinking about an Apple Pencil purchase.
Apple Pencil also works with tons of third-party apps for note taking, drawing, sketching, and more. You can find these apps by searching for Apple Pencil in the App Store on the iPad, but below we've listed some standouts.
How is the Apple Pencil different from other styluses?Prior to when the Apple Pencil came out, styluses either had a fine hard tip and were battery powered to activate the capacitive display of the iPad, or had a wide, rubber finger-shaped tip that was not accurate. A pre-Apple Pencil stylus Palm rejection was all done via software by individual app creators and it didn't work reliably, plus connections were all done via Bluetooth rather than the automatic process that the Apple Pencil uses. Many styluses on the market that are not the Apple Pencil are still have these kinds of tips that are nowhere near as accurate as the Apple Pencil and can't offer the same simple charging and palm rejection features, but there are now some more affordable Apple Pencil alternatives that have Apple Pencil-like functionality. What Apple Pencil alternatives are available?There are a few non-Apple made styluses on the market that have some of the same capabilities as the Apple Pencil, but for a more affordable price. These options aren't as feature rich as the Apple Pencil and don't have the same simple design, but the base functionality is there. The Logitech Crayon
What apps are compatible with Apple Pencil?Any first or third-party app is compatible with the Apple Pencil, but it is designed for writing, drawing, and sketching apps where handwritten content is appropriate. The Apple Pencil can also be used in place of a fingertip for navigating through iPadOS. Is the Apple Pencil worth the money?For anyone who wants to take advantage of the iPad for drawing, sketching, note taking, or other similar activities, the Apple Pencil is absolutely worth the money, but for those who don't need all of the advanced features, there are some similar styluses on the market like the much more affordable Logitech Crayon. Does Apple Pencil work with iPhone?The Apple Pencil and Apple Pencil 2 are only compatible with iPads and will not work with the iPhone. The Apple Pencil requires a display built for it, which iPhones do not have. Will Apple make an Apple Pencil for iPhone?There have been rumors here and there suggesting Apple could develop a version of the Apple Pencil for the iPhone, but no such product has ever materialized and rumors about an Apple Pencil for the iPhone have never been consistent. Guide FeedbackHave questions about the Apple Pencil, know of a feature we left out, or want to offer feedback on this guide? Send us an email here. Related ArticlesSome Apple Stores to Stop Selling First-Generation Apple Pencil Until USB-C Adapter Stock ImprovesFriday October 28, 2022 3:12 am PDT by Sami Fathi Select Apple Stores in the United States have suspended the sale of the first-generation Apple Pencil until stock improves for the USB-C to Lightning Adapter, which is needed to charge the pencil with the new entry-level iPad, MacRumors has learned. The 10th-generation iPad is only compatible with the first-generation Apple Pencil, which is equipped with a USB-C port. To charge the pencil... 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