New Apple pencil rumored to feature haptic feedback

The upcoming Apple Pencil is rumoured to feature haptic feedback for the very first time, as well as new gestures.

Reliable Apple reporter Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has written that the new Pencil will include haptic feedback for the first time, ahead of Apple’s May 7 event, where it’s expected that announcements will be made about the iPad accessories, the new generation of Magic Keyboard, and Apple Pencil.

What difference will haptic feedback make to the Apple Pencil?

Haptic feedback should help the digital utensil will feel more realistic when in use. While the Apple Pencil is usually light to use, feeling vibrations or pushback from the gadget can help to guide your use. Even changing the mode within the software could affect the feedback, with a crayon mode making the Pencil feel rougher, for example.

There will also reportedly be additional gestures for greater customization and versatility. One example is the new ‘squeeze’ gesture, resulting in a contextual menu based on the current task, such as adding shapes, and stickers, or switching to text mode on a canvas.

Alongside these upcoming features, May 7 is also expected to see Apple update the iPad hardware line-up for the first time in over a year. 2023 saw no major changes coming, so we could be seeing some pretty major changes.

Reportedly, according to 9to5Mac, the new iPad Pro lineup could feature OLED displays even an M4 chip. This would suggest some heightened AI compatibility for the upcoming Apple tablet, while the iPad Air should also grow in size, resulting in a larger 12.9-inch size for the very first time.

It’s a season of many firsts for Apple, with the company pushing the marker for iPads and their accessories across the board. Following a relatively lacklustre 2023, the keynote for 2024 could be packed full of welcome updates for iPad users.

Featured image: Apple