The Apple Pencil line-up just got more convoluted...
> £79/$79 > FROM www.apple.com
> FEATURES USB-C Connector, Bluetooth, Magnetically attaches > NEEDS iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd-6th gen), iPad Pro 11-inch (1st-4th gen), iPad Air (4th/5th gen), iPad (10th gen), iPad min (6th gen)
Apple Pencil 3 has finally arrived! Except it hasn’t. Apple has instead released a new £79/$79 Apple Pencil that’s compatible only with iPads that have a USB-C port and lacks pressure sensitivity. Apple says the new release brings “more value and choice to the line-up”, although I’d add ‘confusion’ and ‘obfuscation’ to that list, too.
The Apple Pencil line-up was already broken. The original Apple Pencil (1st generation) supported older iPads going back to 2015, but also some newer models too. The Apple Pencil (2nd generation) only supported newer iPad models. The exact configuration of which iPads work with which Apple Pencil is too long to list here but, as a rough guide, if you had an older iPad and bought a second-gen Apple Pencil, then you’ve probably wasted your money, as it won’t work with it.
It got even more confusing because the latest 10th generation basic model iPad had a USB-C port, but was only compatible with the first-gen Apple Pencil, which needs a Lightning port to charge... Apple’s solution was a £9, USB-C to Apple Pencil Adaptor, which just feels terribly clumsy and not very Apple-like. Now Apple has added a cheaper third Pencil option that solves that charging problem, but then also creates a whole load of new ones.
Compatibility confusion
The new Apple Pencil (USB-C) will work with any iPad that has a USB-C port, which means you won’t need an adaptor for the 10th generation iPad any longer. But while Apple Pencil (USB-C) has the same pixel-perfect precision and tilt sensitivity of the other two Apple Pencils, it lacks pressure sensitivity, so if you want to do drawing or calligraphy on your iPad then it’s a waste of money, because pressure sensitivity i
