Watch the clip again.
The context is 'who wants to have to use a stylus in order to operate a phone? You've got to get them out, put them away, you lose them - yeurgh. So we designed a phone you can use with your fingers'
An iPhone with Pencil support doesn't detract from Jobs' stance as it is not essential to operate the device.
Steve's "Who wants a stylus?" comment was referring to a stylus as the only possible way to interact with the display, not as an optional input method.
The problem with what Steve said was that it wasn't true. The smartphones at that time had touch interfaces and could be used without the stylus. Was it a perfect finger interface? No. Was it usable? Absolutely.
If Apple were to add "pencil support", it would in no way provide the great experience you get with a Samsung Note. Here are a few reasons:
- The form factor of the Apple Pencil isn't going to work with a phone... and I doubt they are going to create a smaller pencil. The S-Pen is the result of years of use and is a great form factor for use with a Smartphone.
- I seriously doubt that Apple is going to create a silo for it in the iPhone. Without the silo, you lose a lot of the convenience. You have to place to safely store it. You have no way to keep it charged. And more importantly you have no easy way to trigger the iPhone that you want to use it. When you pull the S-Pen out of the Note's silo, it triggers a selector to pop up that gives you single tap access to all the pen enabled functions you'd want to use. For me, I can get to OneNote in one click, as well as all the other apps I use the Spen with.
- There are no pen enabled apps for iOS... so initially it would be pretty awkward and I doubt there'd be much support developed unless they solved some of the other issues.
- One of the greatest features of the Note is the ability to take notes on the screen without even turning the device on. If you take the Spen out of the silo while the Note is turned off, you can immediately write on the screen. Anyone that doesn't get the convenience of this is just being a fanboy and unable to see good aspects of other brands. I used to take notes on little slips of paper all the time in a pinch. Now I do it on the Note. I'm running to the grocery story and my wife wants to tell me what to get. I pop out the SPen and write it on the screen.
So just giving the iPhone support for Apple Pencil won't really accomplish anything in my opinion.