News: Apple Had Planned To Launch Apple Pencil This Year Along With iPhone 14

According to a surprising leak, Apple had planned to release a new Apple Pencil this year but abandoned the project at the eleventh hour. According to the source, mass manufacturing had already begun when Apple terminated the project. Therefore over a million products had to be discarded.

Thursday, the rumor was made to Twitter by DuanRui, a well-known Apple leaker. The leaker claims the device had the codename “Maker” (possibly a typo for “Marker,” which makes more sense) and was scheduled to debut at the iPhone 14 launch event in September 2022.

At the Apple Event in September, Apple was originally going to release a new Apple Pencil code-named Maker, priced at about $49, with no pressure sensing and no battery needed, using a chip to power the stylus from the screen, similar to the Samsung S- Pen.（1/2）

— DuanRui (@duanrui1205) November 24, 2022

Anticipated Price & Specs of New Apple Pencil

The stylus would have cost roughly $49, putting it significantly below the pricing of the current 1st-gen ($99/£109) and 2nd-gen ($129/£139) devices, and it would have been compatible with iPhone screens.

In other aspects, though, it would have been a far simpler stylus than its siblings, lacking pressure-sensing functions and a battery: the power would have been drawn through the screen, similar to how Samsung’s equally inexpensive S-Pen operates.

The original source of the report is Weibo, as is typically the case with DuanRui’s tweets, as they explicitly recognize them. For this reason, it may be advisable to swallow the rumor with a dose of skepticism. Until we have more evidence to the contrary, we hesitate to accept the integrity of the story. However, it must be acknowledged that (apart from iPhone compatibility) the concept makes a lot of sense.

When Apple launched the 10th-generation iPad in October, reporters were confused to see that it supported the 1st-generation Apple Pencil yet required a dongle to charge or pair with the attachment. This was an unattractive approach, and we have complained about it in several pieces. Evidently, hardware design decisions (the USB-C port; the landscape camera) rendered the iPad incompatible with both Pencil models. These were purely Apple’s decisions. Why would it paint itself into such a tight corner?

Read Also: Leaked Apple Patent Hints At Next-Gen Pencil With Rotating Element

Perhaps the answer is that Apple would have another plan, but it failed. With its cheaper price, the “Marker” would have been compatible with the iPad 10th generation. It also catered to a budget-conscious clientele. In addition, it might have been utilized on the iPhone, which would have increased its worth.

Apple’s decision not to forward with the idea is curious. Neither DuanRui nor the Weibo source has provided any explanation as to why. However, we are so intrigued by the concept that it may turn out to be a hoax. However, we still believe Apple should bring it to fruition.