Alongside the new iPad Pro and iPad Air lineups today, Apple officially announced an all-new Apple Pencil Pro alongside a refresh to the Magic Keyboard as part of its “Let Loose” event.
The new Apple Pencil Pro features a new sensor in the barrel, allowing for a new squeeze gesture that opens up a contextual menu on the iPad for easier access to drawing and other tools. A new haptic engine activates when gestures are detected, with haptic feedback given out when users squeeze or double-tap the Pencil, or snap to a Smart Shape on the iPad’s screen.
Apple Pencil Pro also comes with a gyroscope, allowing for finer control over brushes and other drawing tools. And for the first time, Apple Pencil Pro supports the Find My network, so users can locate their lost or misplaced Pencil with ease. Apple Pencil Pro also features a new magnetic interface for charging on the new iPad Air and iPad Pro lineups, working in tandem with the new iPads’ landscape front-facing camera.
Apple is also updating the Magic Keyboard and Smart Folio accessories. The new thinner and lighter Magic Keyboard features a new design with a function row for easier access to common functions like screen brightness and volume controls. A new palm rest is now constructed of aluminum for a more premium finish, and the larger trackpad comes with haptic feedback for a more concise experience. The new Smart Folio case now attaches magnetically with support for multiple viewing angles for more flexibility and is available in a new Denim finish.
Apple Pencil Pro is priced at $129, whereas the new Magic Keyboard starts at $299 for the 11-inch model and $349 for the 13-inch size. The 11-inch Smart Folio case is available at $79 and $99 for the 13-inch model. The new accessories are available starting today, with deliveries and availability beginning on Wednesday, May 15.
