New Apple Pencil's Hidden USB-C Port Demonstrated in Hands-On Video

Wednesday October 25, 2023 7:20 pm PDT by Joe Rossignol

Tech reporter Jake Krol today shared a brief hands-on video of the new Apple Pencil, which features a USB-C charging port hidden under a sliding cap. The video, shared on Instagram and TikTok, provides a first look at the sliding cap in action.

Apple Pencil USB C sliding cap feature
Priced at $79, the new Apple Pencil is a more affordable option compared to the first-generation and second-generation Apple Pencil models, which remain available for $99 and $129, respectively. It has a similar design as the second-generation Apple Pencil, but it charges with a USB-C cable instead of wirelessly.

The new Apple Pencil will be available to order in "early November," but a specific release date has yet to be announced by Apple. It is compatible with all iPad models equipped with a USB-C port, including the lower-end tenth-generation iPad.

This is your first look at the new Apple Pencil, the $79 one with a USB-C port. I got to demo it in #Freeform and @GetAnimatic. https://t.co/AnwnJfDxTN pic.twitter.com/MR0RPYpdV1 — Jake Krol (@Jake31Krol) October 26, 2023

Given its lower price, the new Apple Pencil lacks three key features compared to the second-generation model, including wireless charging, pressure sensitivity, and a double-tap gesture for switching between drawing tools. However, it does support the Apple Pencil hover feature with the latest 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models.

Tag: Apple Pencil Guide

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Top Rated Comments

erikkfi

40 months ago

A fifteen second rapid-cut portrait mode video with unnecessary background music, from TikTok, reposted on Twitter. Thanks modern world, I hate it.

Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)

japanime

40 months ago

"Demonstrated in hands-on video"?

It's literally a 15-second clip (with a few of those seconds of the footage repeated) 🤣

Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Tagbert

40 months ago

Can't believe they launched a Pencil without pressure sensitivity. Bet a lot of people won't realize this omission before they've bought one.

Do you think that everyone who uses a pencil is doing sketches and illustrations? A lot of people use the pencil for notes, and simple drawings, and for tapping buttons and such. They don’t have a lot of need for pressure sensitivity.

Really this pencil is aimed at the iPad 10th gen that was released with USB-C so it couldn’t work well with the lightning pencil and without the magnetic mount and charging system of the Pencil 2. This gives those buyers of the cheap iPad a pencil to match. One might wish that Apple had done more with that 10th gen iPad to bring it fully into sync with the Pencil 2 but they didn’t and here we are.

The whole iPad line appears to be doing a slow motion migration from one design world to another but the pieces are slow moving and not all in sync. It makes for some odd pairings.

Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Fortimir

40 months ago

The hate for this pencil is absurd. The issue is that they still sell the original Lightning one. No pressure sensitivity? 90% of users don't care or need it. MOST people use it for notes and similar tasks. And like, if you're someone who needs more, they have the one with pressure sensitivity. Having a $79 option is great. It's not like this is the only version that exists. Having an entry level one without pressure and a pro-level one with is just fine.

Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Wokis

40 months ago

Can't believe they launched a Pencil without pressure sensitivity. Bet a lot of people won't realize this omission before they've bought one.

Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)