I know. US$129 for a stylus is borderline outrageous, but that’s what Apple asks for the Apple Pencil (2nd Generation). We all know Apple products come with a premium price tag. However, earlier today, Apple defied this notion by introducing the Apple Pencil (USB-C), a slightly more affordable version of its signature stylus. I admit that ‘affordable’ is subjective, but at US$79 it is indeed very much more affordable when compared to the Apple Pencil (2nd Generation) which goes for US$129.
Obviously, there are some compromises. First, it doesn’t support magnetic charging. While it can still attach to the iPad magnetically, it’s mainly for the sake of storage and also to put the Apple Pencil into a sleep state to preserve battery life. Charging is done via a USB-C port hidden beneath a sliding cap. It’s not the most convenient setup, in my humble opinion, but it’s definitely an improvement over the first-gen Apple Pencil’s built-in Lightning connector, which was borderline impractical (I was being nice).
To be fair, it hasn’t been watered down that much. It offers everything the regular Apple Pencil does but lacks pressure sensitivity and the double-tap feature for changing tools. And, of course, it doesn’t support wireless pairing and charging either as mentioned earlier. It does not have free engraving like the rest of the Apple gadgets.
Apple specified that the new Apple Pencil (USB-C) works well with the iPad (10th generation) but is compatible with all iPad models that have a USB-C port, including iPad Pro, iPad Air, and iPad Mini.
The new Apple Pencil (USB-C) will be available for purchase at US$79 starting in early November 2023.
Images: Apple, Inc.
