Apple has filed a patent for a futuristic, touch-sensitive version of its Apple Pencil stylus.
The US Patent and Trademark Office has published an Apple patent application for a “Stylus with touch sensor”, as first revealed by tech blog AppleInsider. The application reads:
“The stylus may have a touch sensor on the elongated body. The touch sensor on the body may have electrodes that gather touch input and optional force input when the fingers of a user touch the stylus.”
According to the patent, the Apple Pencil would have several touch sensors that receive electromagnetic signals from a user’s fingers. This would reveal how a stylus is being held, rotated, and how firmly it is pressed against a surface. Apple doesn’t detail exactly what this would mean in terms of controlling a device, other than to say that “the stylus may transition between operating modes” based on the signals from the new sensors.
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Despite early opposition to stylus pens, Apple eventually unveiled the Apple Pencil alongside the iPad Pro late last year. It currently only features pressure-sensitivity on the tip, as well as angle detection courtesy of a built-in accelerometer.
Unfortunately, there’s no guarantee that the Apple Pencil will ever be upgraded with the new technology described in today’s patent. Just filing a patent application doesn’t necessarily mean Apple plans to utilise the designs, so don’t get too excited just yet.
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What do you think of Apple’s sensitive shaft? Let us know in the comments.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.