Apple Announces Affordable Version of Apple Pencil With USB Type-C Charging

October 20, 2023 Off By Naveen Victor

Apple is now selling a more affordable version of the Apple Pencil. It has a similar tube-like shape as the 2nd gen pencil and a flat front surface that allows it to magnetically attach to an iPad’s surface. The tip at the end slides away to reveal a USB Type-C port that’s used for pairing and charging.

That said, the new Apple Pencil doesn’t support wireless charging or pressure sensitivity. Lack of the latter is probably going to be a deal breaker for some users. But for others, it’s a chance to move away from the 1st generation Pencil and its convoluted charging process. When attached magnetically to an iPad, the new Apple Pencil enters a sleep state to preserve battery life.

Apple says that the new USB Type-C Pencil will work on all iPad models that have a USB-C port. This includes the iPad Pro, iPad Air and iPad mini. When used with the M2 models of the iPad Pro, it supports the hover feature, which is useful when sketching with precision.

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Take a look at how the new Apple Pencil stacks up against the 1st and 2nd generation ones: