Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

darthbane2k

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Oct 22, 2009
1,600
1,636
So I sold my 9.7 inch iPad Pro in anticipation for the new model. I held onto my Apple Pencil though as I figure it’s good enough for me as is, however I’ve just realised that if the rumours are true and the new iPad Pro ditches lightning for USB C and the new pencil charges via magnetic connector , my Apple Pencil won’t work!
What are your thoughts?
 

sracer

macrumors G4
Apr 9, 2010
10,271
12,995
where hip is spoken
So I sold my 9.7 inch iPad Pro in anticipation for the new model. I held onto my Apple Pencil though as I figure it’s good enough for me as is, however I’ve just realised that if the rumours are true and the new iPad Pro ditches lightning for USB C and the new pencil charges via magnetic connector , my Apple Pencil won’t work!
What are your thoughts?
I think that no one outside of Apple knows for sure but if any of those rumors are true then you'll at least need an adapter to be able to charge the Pencil with those new iPad Pros. There's also an outside possibility that the Pencil 1 will be completely incompatible with those new iPad Pros.
 

darthbane2k

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Oct 22, 2009
1,600
1,636
I think that no one outside of Apple knows for sure but if any of those rumors are true then you'll at least need an adapter to be able to charge the Pencil with those new iPad Pros. There's also an outside possibility that the Pencil 1 will be completely incompatible with those new iPad Pros.
Having said that , it would also mean the new Pencil would be incompatible with the edu iPads launched recently. I can’t see Apple having two different types of pencil on the market. Hmm..
 
  • Like
Reactions: iapplelove

JPack

macrumors G5
Mar 27, 2017
12,446
23,011
Having said that , it would also mean the new Pencil would be incompatible with the edu iPads launched recently. I can’t see Apple having two different types of pencil on the market. Hmm..

Why not?

Pencil and Lightning for iPad. Pencil Pro and USB-C for iPad Pro. Since Apple is using a different connector, why not have different Pencils?
 

darthbane2k

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Oct 22, 2009
1,600
1,636
Why not?

Pencil and Lightning for iPad. Pencil Pro and USB-C for iPad Pro. Since Apple is using a different connector, why not have different Pencils?
No offence but that sounds terrible. Imagine the consumer confusion
 

Tapiture

macrumors 65816
Oct 1, 2016
1,118
1,683
Maybe a special pencil that connects with the new Pro will come with it?
Haha! just kidding. Apple would never do that.

Jokes aside, it wouldn’t make sense for Apple to only sell one kind of pencil that connects with the new Pro and leave the rest of the iPad models hanging dry. Expect to see two models of Pencil, and I’d imagine the old pencil can’t work with the new Pro because it’d have no way to connect since the ports are different.
 

Greenmeenie

macrumors 68020
Jan 14, 2013
2,058
3,176
It’s not for certain that Apple is doing away with the lightning connector for usb-c. But even if they do, I am sure your Apple Pencil will still work with the new iPads. As far as charging your old Apple Pencil, yes, if it charges thru the magnetic connector it won’t work. But I am sure you’ll be able to get a usb-c to lightning dongle to charge it. And actually, I think that would be better than the current method! Think about it. With a dongle(perhaps something like the sad card reader with the small wire)...it will be less prone to snapping off. I really hate the current charging method with pencil sticking so precariously out the end of the iPad.

Anyway...I wouldn’t worry about the pencil situation. There will be a solution for the gen one Pencil, and I think it will be better than the current method.
 

Dovahkiing

macrumors 6502
Nov 1, 2013
480
466
I mean, Apple Pencil 2 could still have lightning for charging in addition to ability to charge wirelessly while docked with the new pro.

That way, even if the new Pros have USB-C, Apple can still just have one Pencil SKU that works with all iPads. They could just stop making the current Pencil.

If new pencil works with 2018 iPad 9.7 - which I think is likely given that having two different Pencil SKUs seems very un-Apple - then it would stand to reason old Pencil would work with new iPad. This all seems like it would be the most practical solution.
 

kazmac

macrumors G4
Mar 24, 2010
10,086
8,627
Any place but here or there....
I think that no one outside of Apple knows for sure but if any of those rumors are true then you'll at least need an adapter to be able to charge the Pencil with those new iPad Pros. There's also an outside possibility that the Pencil 1 will be completely incompatible with those new iPad Pros.

Either of these options wouldn't surprise me, particularly the latter.
 
  • Like
Reactions: gobikerider

JPack

macrumors G5
Mar 27, 2017
12,446
23,011
I mean, Apple Pencil 2 could still have lightning for charging in addition to ability to charge wirelessly while docked with the new pro.

That way, even if the new Pros have USB-C, Apple can still just have one Pencil SKU that works with all iPads. They could just stop making the current Pencil.

If new pencil works with 2018 iPad 9.7 - which I think is likely given that having two different Pencil SKUs seems very un-Apple - then it would stand to reason old Pencil would work with new iPad. This all seems like it would be the most practical solution.

The only reason for Pencil Pro to have Lightning would be compatibility with old iPads. In that case, I doubt Apple would put Lightning just to satisfy old users. Since Apple is going USB-C with iPad Pro, it would make sense to go all out. Stocking two types of Pencils is hardly a problem.
 

darkarn

macrumors 6502a
Apr 8, 2017
839
343
Singapore
Maybe the Lightning Pencil would go on to be the Pencil for iPads since 2018's can use it, while the USB C Pencil would become the Pencil for iPad Pros?
 

Dovahkiing

macrumors 6502
Nov 1, 2013
480
466
Maybe the Lightning Pencil would go on to be the Pencil for iPads since 2018's can use it, while the USB C Pencil would become the Pencil for iPad Pros?
No way Apple includes two ways to charge the new pencil for iPad pro. It will not have both type c and wireless - that would be stupid
 

darkarn

macrumors 6502a
Apr 8, 2017
839
343
Singapore
No way Apple includes two ways to charge the new pencil for iPad pro. It will not have both type c and wireless - that would be stupid

I am unsure what you mean but I was thinking more along the lines of Apple rearranging its goods for the different iPads so that it can sell both new and old Pencils at same time but for different iPads
 

charlituna

macrumors G3
Jun 11, 2008
9,636
816
Los Angeles, CA
So I sold my 9.7 inch iPad Pro in anticipation for the new model. I held onto my Apple Pencil though as I figure it’s good enough for me as is, however I’ve just realised that if the rumours are true and the new iPad Pro ditches lightning for USB C and the new pencil charges via magnetic connector , my Apple Pencil won’t work!
What are your thoughts?

key words "If the rumors are true".

just wait and see what they actually announce instead of getting worried about what might maybe be true or maybe not
 

darthbane2k

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Oct 22, 2009
1,600
1,636
Ah I just sold my Apple Pencil anyway. All things point to Pencil 2 having a lightning connector and magnetic inductive charging. The latter will probably be the way it charges with the new pro , so I would literally have to charge the old Pencil off my phone or that adaptor
 

kristalsoldier

macrumors 6502a
Aug 10, 2013
818
523
key words "If the rumors are true".

just wait and see what they actually announce instead of getting worried about what might maybe be true or maybe not
Yeah, but you see, doing that detracts from the very purpose of this site, which is, not uncoincidentally, named MacRumors.
 

Jarcrew

macrumors 6502
Mar 16, 2007
339
8
Cardiff, Wales
I can see them going with two pencils - the one we know today goes iPad 2018 only and connects via Lightning, the new model gains extra features, has an M1 chip, possibly metal construction with colour options, and only charges via a magnetic strip on the side (that "plug it in the bottom" thing is astoundingly bad, almost as bad as charging a mouse via a plug into its underside). They rebrand the current pencil, which is then aimed at schools and consumers. And the new pencil has beefed up specs (increased pressure sensitivity etc) and features aimed at power users (buttons on the side that serve as tool modifiers, or an erase tool on the back end - I suspect they will likely demonstrate this working with Photoshop or Gemini). Plenty of people are doing professional level illustration work on the iPad as it is, I can see the new Pencil being aimed more at them.

Along those lines, I think there will be a price differential between the Pencil and the new one (Apple Pencil Pro? Apple Pen?). I would love to think they drop the Pencil down to $79, but I think it's more likely it will remain at $100 and the new one will simply be more expensive.

I think we're beginning to see the iPads diverging - the stock iPad with the regular pencil will be for everyone, whereas the Pro (with USB-C and lord knows what else in iOS 13) will be positioned towards power users, "pro-sumers" and the like.
 

Greenmeenie

macrumors 68020
Jan 14, 2013
2,058
3,176
I can see them going with two pencils - the one we know today goes iPad 2018 only and connects via Lightning, the new model gains extra features, has an M1 chip, possibly metal construction with colour options, and only charges via a magnetic strip on the side (that "plug it in the bottom" thing is astoundingly bad, almost as bad as charging a mouse via a plug into its underside). They rebrand the current pencil, which is then aimed at schools and consumers. And the new pencil has beefed up specs (increased pressure sensitivity etc) and features aimed at power users (buttons on the side that serve as tool modifiers, or an erase tool on the back end - I suspect they will likely demonstrate this working with Photoshop or Gemini). Plenty of people are doing professional level illustration work on the iPad as it is, I can see the new Pencil being aimed more at them.

Along those lines, I think there will be a price differential between the Pencil and the new one (Apple Pencil Pro? Apple Pen?). I would love to think they drop the Pencil down to $79, but I think it's more likely it will remain at $100 and the new one will simply be more expensive.

I think we're beginning to see the iPads diverging - the stock iPad with the regular pencil will be for everyone, whereas the Pro (with USB-C and lord knows what else in iOS 13) will be positioned towards power users, "pro-sumers" and the like.

I just hope they don’t call it the Apple Pencil Pro
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.