Second-Generation Apple Pencil Rumored for March of 2017

[handsome pete]

So many posts are people wanting features that the surface pen has.

While many say the Apple pen is far superior, I think it really speaks volumes of how Nadella is turning microsoft around. I know it's just a pen but the Surface line execution has been quite well done (the first couple weren't that good, and let's just pretend RT never existed).

I really hope Apple takes a page from Microsoft (can't believe I'm saying this) and starts thinking differently. They should rethink the charging, eraser, and how to carry the pen.

Someone should tell TIM people DON"T like carrying around dongles or pens, so maybe make a little pocket for it. OR maybe a magnetic connection...

I hope the board considers tossing Tim!

And the surface pen uses features seen on wacom pens for years. I like the direction MS has taken with the surface line too, but stuff like the pen isn't very revolutionary in their part either.

I don't mind the Apple pencil charging at all, but if they add wireless then great. The surface pen still uses an alkaline battery. Not sure how that is better. And it does have the pen clip at the top, but is that really a great solution for storage? Attaching the pencil through a magnet seems like an option, but the pencil has a fair amount of weight to it so I can't imagine that being terribly effective. How many people are keeping their iPads naked, without some sort of case? I'd much rather see some elegant case solutions with some sort of pencil storage option.

 

[341328]

put the lightning connector on a right angle so you can put it in your iDevice and not have it stick out massively.

 

[hiddenmarkov]

And what would be wrong with having more battery life? Sure 12 hours is good, but imagine having to go days without a charge.

Simple solution is when my IPP charges, so does the pencil. My case is simplified granted as more than 50% of the time on my IPP I am using the pencil. IPP low on the juice...very safe assumption so is the pencil.


Just takes 2 chargers. Not extra cost for me anyway. Chargers and cables in abundance I have.

I would recommend 3rd party rubber cabling (or jury rig ones own way if motivated) to keep the pencils charge adapter that comes in the box at least dangling off the cable used for it. this was a couple buck buy. Was a set, came with another rubber strap thing to keep the connector cap dangling off the pencil when charging.

Part of me goes apple should have put something like this in the box. Part of me goes because engineered in Cali, made in a 2nd or 3rd world sweatshop would have the pencil even way higher price so I go meh, thank you 3rd party for convenient and cheap.

 

[Analog Kid]

as a math professor I definitely concur. I regularly have people in my calculus class sit with their laptops and take pictures of the blackboard with their phones because they can't take notes using keyboard. this is just nuts. Apple only ever targeted artists with the pencil (that's very clear from their ads) but they should be targeting college students too. That's a pretty large audience and I think Apple is making a mistake in not advertising the pencil to them. Taking notes in math, physics, chemistry is not an option with a keyboard. Probably true of some other subjects as well.

Have you seen MyScript MathPad? It's mostly a demo app to highlight their handwriting recognition library and it's not quite functional enough for me to use, but it's got some potential. I'd love to see this kind of capability eventually get built into a computation notepad at some point. Might even encourage me to learn to write legibly...

 

[Nevaborn]

Do not care about magnets in the Pencil. Magnets will never hold the thing on to the iPad securely enough for transporting it so you will need a case still. Another pointless feature. The only thing I would look at is the charging port being made female not male.

As for the iPad it needs better battery life to compete, forget thinner at this point it now needs power under the bonnet.

 

[DaIfoneboss]

A10x going to destroy every other SoC out there at the moment even the 835 and etc

 

[anthorumor]

Apple Pencil 2: Now with eraser.
Only $149. Sharpener sold separately.

 

[where is it]

A couple of improvements on the Pencil would be:

Make it lighter - it's far too heavy to be called 'a pencil'

Make it shorter - it's far too long, it's meant to be a pencil not a javelin

 

[riverfreak]

100% camping out for the AP2G.

 

[Duncan-UK]

I'm a huge fan of the Apple Pencil - I use it every day for several hours with work. I do presentations where I need to highlight PDFs in a classroom and far prefer using an iPad Pro and Apple Pencil to a Surface and pen

 

[44267547]

put the lightning connector on a right angle so you can put it in your iDevice and not have it stick out massively.

That's the one awkward thing about the Apple Pencil. The way you charge it through your iPad just looks cumbersome. I wonder if anybody has broken there Apple Pencil or snapped it off from the iPad.

 

[dilbert99]

Was there something wrong with the first pencil that they need a replacement already?

 

[QquegChristian]

I don't mind the Apple pencil charging at all, but if they add wireless then great. The surface pen still uses an alkaline battery. Not sure how that is better. And it does have the pen clip at the top, but is that really a great solution for storage?

The alkaline in my Surface Pen went for almost a year before I had to change it out. It's not high tech, but I'll take that over charging every couple days. By the time I use $5 worth of batteries, a rechargeable battery would probably be at end of life and the whole stylus would be garbage.

Also, the pen clip is absolutely a great solution and definitely better than no solution. The magnets on the SP4 are super strong, which is great for docking the pen while in use, but I'm still in the habit of clipping the pen to the keyboard cover when I put the device away. See attached photo.

It's the simplest solution, and the Apple Pencil could be clipped to a Smart Cover when not in use. I really think this is a case of Jony Ive refusing to make his Pencil look anything like a "Pen".

Not a MS fanboy anymore than Apple. I've got iPhones, Apple Watches, and an Apple TV in this house. Also, the hard drive in my wife's Surface Pro 4 just broke a week out of warranty, costing me a fortune to replace, so I'm salty on that right now. But the design of their Pen is definitely more practical... and it should be after 4 generations.

 

[Tech198]

A couple of improvements on the Pencil would be:

Make it lighter - it's far too heavy to be called 'a pencil'

Make it shorter - it's far too long, it's meant to be a pencil not a javelin

lol...looks like a pencil, acts like a pencil, but throws like a javelin.

 

[thekeyring]

Interesting. This isn't the type of accessory I expected to get major updates, though I do think they may expand support for it, perhaps to a special iMac if the Surface Studio takes off.

I feel that the Surface Studio is a Mac Pro competitor, not an iMac competitor. It might "take off" but at a starting price of $2999 it's a big ask.

 

[Tycho24]

If it still has the INCREDIBLY awkward & unnatural feel of writing/drawing on a slippery sheet of glass, instead of the normal coefficient of friction "drag" that we all can feel and recognize from every single time we've ever pushed a pen or pencil across a piece of paper, I'll pass again.
Had mine to use on my iPad Pro 9.7". Tried for both art purposes in various apps, and note taking/creative writing in various apps.
Couldn't do it.
Sold on eBay after 6 weeks.
I don't see what they could really improve, unless they address that. The weight/feel was good. No lag. Great tech... just removes the passion from the creative process by beating you over the head with the fact that you're using a piece of technology, not having an intimate visceral experience with a tool that feels like a part of you- flowing your ideas to life.
IMO, of course.

 

[0098386]

Unlike the iPad, which is tech you rarely upgrade because it fulfills your needs at that time, the Pencil shipped perfect. It's like an Amazon Paperwhite. There won't be a better eReader than that. Each update has simply increased refresh rates, and a few smaller features.

All they can hope to do is make it thinner and lighter, maybe something to offset that feel of plastic against glass. There isn't anywhere far you can take it.

 

[Wiesenlooser]

interchangeable tips , maybe some sort of haptic engine and an eraser.

 

[LCPepper]

Yeah, I hope they are compatible backwards and forwards.

 

[The Game 161]

be interested how they make it much better than the first one..only so much you can do with it.

 

[LCPepper]

interchangeable tips , maybe some sort of haptic engine and an eraser.

Interchangeable tips are the thing that I want most for my Apple Pencil

 

[0lf]

Also, the pen clip is absolutely a great solution and definitely better than no solution. The magnets on the SP4 are super strong, which is great for docking the pen while in use, but I'm still in the habit of clipping the pen to the keyboard cover when I put the device away. See attached photo.

It's the simplest solution, and the Apple Pencil could be clipped to a Smart Cover when not in use. I really think this is a case of Jony Ive refusing to make his Pencil look anything like a "Pen".

The clip can be an add on

 

[carlsson]

I've never understood why there weren't more cases with Pencil holders. In Europe, they're basically non-existent. In the end, I ordered something on AliExpress:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item//32692991593.html
Note that I don't give a fig whether you buy it or not, I'm not affiliated with these guys. But that case is simply so good that I don't want to withold it from people, especially because if you lose that Pencil, you're out a cool $100.

Funny! I orderered that exact item a couple of hours ago!

I'm glad you are satisfied with it.

 

[JeffyTheQuik]

Cool, I like the Apple Pencil, if they can make it better, props.

Maybe if the could make charging port female, that could be great. The fact the port is male, every time I charge on my iPad I have the fear it can break easily on an accident. They have to figure out a more elegant way there.

I was hoping that the gender bender would be built into the pencil, so you have a choice either way... Charge it with the iPad or with a Lightning cable, but when you're done, it all comes back together.
._______________________________________
(_____|______|__________________________>
Cap Adapter Pencil Body

They can use magnets, or the cap can have an insert to hold it all together.

 

[kfury77]

Was there something wrong with the first pencil that they need a replacement already?

What was wrong with the iPhone 7 that they'll release a new iPhone this year? What was wrong with the iPad Pro that they'll release a new model this year? What was wrong with the last iMacs that they'll release new models this year?