That's my understanding. Plus, it seems to be where the tech is as of last year; @jclo reviewed Sphero Specdrums, which offer similar color sampling:I'm going to say upfront I'm not in graphic arts and know nothing about "color accuracy" in that domain. Having said that, given that the perceived color of an object varies depending on the spectrum of the light reflecting off that object, would the Apple pencil have to supply some kind of reference light?
The optical sensor built into the Specdrums will light up when tapped against a surface, and the rectangular front of the sensor takes up most of the ring. It's comfortable to tap on things and was very responsive, easily recognizing different colors.