With all the big iPad Pro 2018, MacBook Air 2018 and Mac mini 2018 news announced today, you would be forgiven for overlooking another impressive Apple announcement – a new and improved Apple Pencil.
Along with an aesthetic redesign that has dropped the detachable cap and now includes a flat edge and matte finish, the second-gen Apple Pencil boasts a number of noteworthy improvements over its predecessor, including wireless charging and gesture controls.
That flat edge we spoke of earlier? Not only does it stop the new Pencil from rolling off a table, it also allows it to magnetically snap to the new iPad Pro's side where it can be automatically paired or take advantage of the aforementioned wireless charging functionality – a vastly superior alternative to the old method, which required the original Pencil to be plugged into the iPad's Lightning port.
In terms of gesture controls, users are able to simply switch tools by tapping the side of the new Apple Pencil. That said, users will be able to customize their own gestures, which should come in handy when using non-Apple drawing apps.
The new Apple Pencil is available to order now from Apple's online store with a dispatch date of November 6, and is priced at $129 (£119 / AU$199). Take note – the new Apple Pencil and its features are only compatible with the newly announced 2018 model iPad Pro.
You might also want to check out the best Apple Pencil alternatives.
