Apple is strongly rumored to launch a new Apple Pencil model to compliment the upcoming OLED iPad Pro, and new code embedded within iPadOS 17.4 and discovered by 9to5Mac hints at what features to expect from the updated accessory.
According to the publication, iPadOS 17.4 code hints that Apple is working on Find My network support for the upcoming Apple Pencil. This means that users should find it easier to locate their misplaced or lost Pencil, similar to AirTag and more recent AirPods models. It remains to be seen whether the next-generation Pencil will also support Precision Finding enabled by Ultra Wideband like the MagSafe Charging Case of the second-generation AirPods Pro.
The report adds that iPadOS 17.4 code also suggests that Apple is working on a new iteration of the PencilKit API for developers, though the nature of new features enabled by the new API is currently unknown. Developers can use PencilKit to make their apps compatible with Apple Pencil and the various brush tools it enables.
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Last year, a rumor claimed that the Apple Pencil 3 would come with a new system for magnetically interchangeable tips that enable specialized tools like drawing, technical drawing, and painting. The new iPadOS 17.4 API is likely related to this rumor, which could allow developers to offer new painting tools based on the attached Pencil tip.
The magnetic tips would be a differentiating factor from the $79 Apple Pencil with a USB-C port the company announced last October. That accessory lacks features like pressure sensitivity and wireless charging since it’s not a direct replacement for the second-generation Pencil, which has remained unchanged since its introduction back in 2018.
Apple is also poised to update other iPad Pro accessories including the Magic Keyboard, with a new version said to give the tablet a more laptop-like appearance when docked.
