The USB-C Apple Pencil fixes an iPad problem I’ve had for years

Apple

Apple launched a caller stylus yesterday. The institution is pushing it arsenic an affordable replacement to nan second-gen Apple Pencil. In emblematic Apple fashion, though, nan latest stylus — called the Apple Pencil (USB-C) — is still not nan astir affordable action for your slate. Actually, acold from it.

But it yet washes distant an embarrassing merchandise blunder, 1 that crippled nan original Apple Pencil functionally and besides made it alaughingstock from a creation perspective. I won’t opportunity overmuch and will fto nan rumor itself do nan talking pinch this beautiful image:

Malarie Gokey / Digital Trends

Also, erstwhile nan original Apple Pencil ran retired of juice, you had to push its Lightning connector wrong nan iPad’s Lightning port. It was bad. But past it sewage worse!

With nan preamble of iPads pinch a USB-C port, stylus fans had to walk a fewer other dollars to bargain an adapter — thing that was made infamous pinch nan iPad 10th generation. It was nan other of convenient, to put it subtly. And it looked moreover worse, arsenic you tin spot successful nan image below:

Joe Maring / Digital Trends

Apple addressed nan problem by adding magnetic charging to nan second-gen Apple Pencil, ensuring that it ne'er runs retired of complaint arsenic it ever sits atop your iPad. But then, astatine $129, it was rather a hefty asking value for a stylus. That’s wherever nan Apple Pencil (USB-C) comes into nan picture.

It costs $79, attaches magnetically to immoderate iPad, and features a USB-C larboard for charging. You nary longer person to plug it straight into an iPad aliases powerfulness port. As agelong arsenic you’ve sewage a USB-C cable, you tin juice it up.

Apple

Apple skipped magnetic charging connected this 1 to warrant nan little cost, contempt nan creation being identical to nan second-gen Apple Pencil. But it’s besides a blessing successful disguise. Compared to a magnetic charging strip, a charging strategy facilitated by a USB-C larboard is little blase and fragile.

Yes, Apple besides nixed unit sensitivity from nan Apple Pencil (USB-C), which is either an unforgivable conclusion aliases an acceptable omission, depending connected who you ask. For a superior graphics designer, it is simply a sin. For an mean personification who’s mostly into note-taking aliases video editing, unit sensitivity isn’t a must-have.

It’s successful a different Apple league

Apple

But let’s look astatine nan alternatives. The Logitech Crayon is still constricted to nan Lightning modular and doesn’t travel pinch nan Apple Care+ sum that gives you artillery replacement (and repair) use for $29. It costs $69, conscionable $10 awkward of nan Apple Pencil (USB-C), but misses retired connected unit sensitivity. And since it doesn’t instrumentality magnetically to an iPad, you will person to beryllium observant lest it gets misplaced.

The different potent replacement is nan Zagg Pro Stylus 2. It attaches magnetically to nan broadside of an iPad, charges via a USB-C port, supports tilt nickname and thenar rejection, comes successful a bunch of cool colors, and moreover supports Qi wireless charging. But astatine nan aforesaid $79, it lasts conscionable astir half arsenic agelong arsenic Apple’s stylus.

One mightiness ask: Is nan Apple Pencil (USB-C) nan reply to each our prayers from a functional and financial perspective? Not exactly. After all, if your only interest is note-taking, a $10 Adonit stylus is much than capable for nan task. So, why prime nan caller Apple stylus, which costs 7 times arsenic much?

Well, it offers nan champion pixel-level accuracy you tin get connected nan iPad, awesome tilt sensitivity, a neat magnetically attaching design, hover support for nan M2 iPad Pro models, and a USB-C larboard for charging — each while cutting down connected features that only a imaginative would want. But supra each that, it serves a level of value assurance and committedness of in-house longevity that only an Apple Stylus tin deliver.

I would spell arsenic acold arsenic calling it a glorified Apple Pencil 2 SE successful nan aforesaid vein arsenic nan iPhone SE. It’s much than a stopgap solution. This 1 fixes an correction that made Apple nan butt of business creation jokes and strikes a near-perfect equilibrium betwixt value and perks by Apple merchandise standards.

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