Lol. You're phrasing this as if Apple came up with some high tech solution for a legitimate problem facing iPad users and not that all of this is created to rake in exorbitant profit margins from old, outdated parts, disguised as an iPad Air and 2nd Gen. Pencil.
The faux iPad Air (iPad 10th Gen) could easily be compatible with the 2nd Gen. Pencil.
All this is just more of the terrible product segmentation that gives us overpriced, regressive tech that consumers only buy in ignorance, thinking the iPad Air and real 2nd Gen Pencil got discounted, or because they don't have the money to get an Air or better.
Even the USB-C in iPad 10 is the outdated USB 2.0 kind.
Considering the value/$ of a 256GB iPad 9th Gen. with the 1st Gen. Pencil or all the high-end features you do get with a real iPad Air or Pro, the iPad 10th Gen. and the new $79 Pencil are indeed useless!