In computing, a stylus (or stylus pen ) is a small pen -shaped instrument whose tip position on a computer monitor can be detected. It is used to draw, or make selections by tapping. While devices with touchscreens such as laptops , smartphones , game consoles , and graphics tablets can usually be operated with a fingertip, a stylus can provide more accurate and controllable input.
29-396: Second generation: Length: 6.53 inches (166 mm) Diameter: 0.35 inches (8.9 mm) Apple Pencil is a line of wireless stylus pen accessories designed and developed by Apple Inc. for use with supported iPad tablets . The first-generation Apple Pencil was announced alongside the first iPad Pro on September 9, 2015. It communicates wirelessly via Bluetooth and has
58-444: A USB-C connector (excluding the tenth-generation iPad). It uses a magnetic connector on the side of the tablet for charging rather than a Lightning connector, and includes touch-sensitive areas that can be tapped to perform actions within supported apps. In October 2023, Apple announced a third Apple Pencil model, intended as a lower-cost alternative to the second-generation Pencil on iPad models with USB-C connectors; this version removes
87-424: A female-to-female Lightning adapter that allows it to be used with charging cables. The Apple Pencil uses an STMicroelectronics STM32L151UCY6 Ultra-low-power 32-bit RISC ARM -based Cortex-M3 MCU running at 32 MHz with 64 KB of flash memory, a Bosch Sensortech BMA280 3-axis accelerometer and a Cambridge Silicon Radio ( Qualcomm ) CSR1012A05 Bluetooth Smart IC for its Bluetooth connection to
116-412: A metal rod or barrel) to transmit electrical charge between the hand and a rubber or metal tip such as copper. Being free of any digital components, capacitive styluses can be cost effective to manufacture. DIY capacitive styluses can also be made with materials found at home. Capacitive screens are very widely used on smart phones and multi-touch surfaces , where simultaneous use of several fingers
145-463: A mixed response; easier external monitor support and more universal device charging were added at the cost of extra dongles to use older cables and headphones. Some reviewers noted that although the hardware updates are great steps forward, iOS 's limitations, including the lack of external storage capabilities, which was addressed with the iPadOS 13 update, prevents the iPad Pro from competing against traditional computers. The increased prices across
174-419: A removable cap that conceals a Lightning connector used for charging. The Pencil is compatible with the first- and second-generation iPad Pro models, and the sixth through tenth-generation iPad models (with the latter requiring a USB-C adapter). The second-generation Apple Pencil was announced on October 30, 2018, alongside the third-generation iPad Pro , and is used with most iPad models that contain
203-639: A stylus in an electronic computing device was the Stylator , demonstrated by Tom Dimond in 1957. Capacitive (also called passive) styluses emulate a finger by using a tip made of rubber or conductive foam ; or metal such as copper. They do not need to be powered and can be used on any multi-touch surface that a finger can be used, typically capacitive screens that are common in smart phones and tablet computers . Stylus tips made of rubber or foam are often large, making it rather difficult to get precise notes or drawings. Capacitive styluses work by distorting
232-577: Is available when purchased via the Apple Store online. Rather than a physical Lightning connector, the second-generation Pencil is paired and charged using a proprietary magnetic wireless charging connector on the tablet instead. As such, it is only supported by the third-, fourth -, fifth - and sixth-generation iPad Pro, sixth-generation iPad Mini , and the fourth- and fifth-generation iPad Air. All of these models have USB-C connectors instead of Lightning, making them physically incompatible with
261-536: Is detected. Capacitive styluses tend to work on any multi-touch surface that accepts input from a finger. Active (also called digital ) styluses include digital components or circuitry inside the pen that communicates with a digitizer on the touch device. This communication allows for advanced features such as pressure sensitivity, tilt, programmable buttons, palm detection, eraser tips, memorizing settings, and writing data transmission. In order for an active stylus to function, its digital component protocol must match
290-407: Is similar in design and specifications to the first model, but without the detachable connector, and part of the stylus is flattened to inhibit rolling. It contains tap-sensitive zones on its sides that can be mapped to functions within apps. The sixth-generation iPad Pro added the ability to detect Pencil position and angle up to 12 millimetres (0.47 in) above the screen. Custom laser engraving
319-596: The Howard Gilman Opera House in Brooklyn, New York. The 2018 models feature new edge-to-edge Liquid Retina displays, Face ID , improved 12- megapixel and 7-megapixel cameras, USB-C connector, and Apple A12X Bionic processors. The tablets are offered in 11-inch and 12.9-inch sizes, and are the first iPad models to offer tap-to-wake LCD displays (following the iPhone X ), and up to 1 TB of internal storage. The 1 TB models featured more RAM than
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#1732779934596348-458: The tenth-generation, 10.9-inch iPad released in 2022, but requires a dongle (similar to the aforementioned Lightning adapter) to connect it to a USB-C cable for charging. Apple began to bundle this dongle with Pencil units in October 2022, and it can be purchased separately by existing owners. On October 30, 2018, Apple announced an updated Pencil alongside the third-generation iPad Pro . It
377-491: The device cracking and snapping in half after applying just a small amount of pressure with his hands in the center of the device. Nelson concluded that the "two weakest points [were] right dead center on either side of the iPad Pro, [and] the crack happened at the very poorly placed microphone hole and the new Apple Pencil 2 charging duct". Users reported devices already bent right out of the box, mostly cellular models. Apple responded to these reports quickly, asserting that this
406-501: The device. A resistive stylus works by applying pressure to the screen, causing two layers (a conductive and a resistive layer) to make contact. This registers as a touch input. IPad Pro (3rd generation) The third generation of iPad Pro is a line of tablet computers developed and marketed by Apple Inc . Two models, with a 12.9 inch or 11 inch screen, were both announced on October 30, 2018, and were available to purchase on November 7. This generation of iPad Pro
435-424: The digitizer technology it is interacting with. Active styluses are powered by a removable or chargeable battery, or operate passively by inductance. Active styluses use different protocols by different manufacturers in order to communicate with the digitizer of a graphic tablet or multi-touch device. The digital protocol of the pen must match the device digitizer, otherwise input from the pen will not register on
464-411: The first-generation Pencil. On October 17, 2023, Apple announced a new entry-level Pencil model, compatible with iPad models using USB-C connectors. This variant lacks pressure sensitivity and the tap-sensitive zones of the second-generation Pencil, but still supports hover detection on supported iPad models. It is charged via a USB-C port concealed by sliding up its cap. On May 7, 2024, Apple announced
493-560: The iPad lineup. Additionally, the tablets lack Touch ID , which has been superseded by Face ID using a sensor array on the top bezel. Unlike iPhone models featuring Face ID until iOS 16 , the third-generation iPad Pro can unlock in any orientation. The tablets were released on November 7, 2018, only available in Silver and Space Gray as the Gold and Rose Gold finishes from the previous generation have been removed. The 3rd-generation iPad Pro
522-462: The iPad. It is powered by a rechargeable 3.82 V, 0.329 Wh lithium-ion battery. The first-generation Apple Pencil is compatible with iPad models released since 2018 that have a Lightning connector, including the first- and second-generation iPad Pro models, third-generation iPad Air , fifth-generation iPad Mini , sixth-generation 9.7-inch iPad, and the seventh , eighth , and ninth-generation 10.2-inch iPad models. It also supports
551-407: The larger display of the 11 inch model (upgraded from a 10.5 inch model). The third generation iPad Pro also premiered a new design, with a screen that covers more of the front face, and has rounded corners. The 11 inch model is the first generation of that size, and describes itself as such. The redesigned iPad Pro was announced on October 30, 2018, during an Apple Special Event at
580-424: The lineup were also criticized. iPadOS addresses the lack of external storage on supported iPads by adding support for external storage. The chassis has been criticized for bending and breaking easily. Users on forum boards have reported the iPad bending after a few days of use, such as after carrying it around in a backpack. YouTuber Zack Nelson then published a video on his channel JerryRigEverything showing
609-407: The new Apple Pencil Pro including a new sensor in the barrel of the pencil allowing squeeze and roll controls, and haptic feedback. The new model also supports Find My and is only compatible with the iPad Pro 11- and 13-inch with M4 chip, the iPad Air 11- and 13-inch with M2 chip and the iPad Mini with A17 Pro chip. Stylus (computing) The earliest computer-related usage for a stylus
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#1732779934596638-580: The pen pressure sensitivity, touch-sensitive areas, and magnetic charging features, and is charged using a USB-C connector concealed by sliding up its cap. Apple has promoted the Pencil as being oriented towards creative work and productivity; during its unveiling, the Pencil's drawing capabilities were demonstrated using the mobile version of Adobe Photoshop , and its document-annotation capabilities were shown on several Microsoft Office apps. The Apple Pencil has pressure sensitivity and angle detection, and it
667-402: The screen’s electrostatic field. Screens that receive input from a capacitive stylus (as well as human fingers) can't register pressure applied by the pen; tilting of the pen; and can't distinguish between a capacitive stylus, your finger, or a resting palm as input - it will register all of these touches as marks on the screen. Capacitive styluses are made of a conductive material (typically as
696-409: The smaller storage sizes with an increase to 6 GB, up from 4 GB. These devices are the first iPads to feature a USB Type-C connector, replacing Apple's proprietary Lightning connector, and both devices gained eSIM for the first time (which replaced the proprietary embedded Apple SIM in the previous generation). The third-generation iPad Pro lacked a home button and a headphone jack, a first for
725-436: Was a pocket mechanical adding machine that used a stylus to move tiny rigid slices of sheet-metal that were enclosed in a case. On the side of a slice of metal there were numbers that became visible to display the result. It was capable of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. In 1967 there was a HEXADAT model, which allowed 4-function math to be applied to hexadecimal numbers for use in programming. The first use of
754-523: Was designed for low latency to enable smooth marking on the screen. The Pencil and the user's fingers can be used simultaneously while rejecting input from the user's palm. One end of the device has a magnetically -fastened removable cap which covers a Lightning connector which is used for charging from an iPad's Lightning port. A complete charge lasts about twelve hours, fifteen seconds of charging provides sufficient power for 30 minutes of use and it takes about 10 minutes to charge it fully. It also ships with
783-522: Was in 1643 with Pascal's calculator . The device had rotary dials that rotated in accordance with the selected numbers; with gears, drums, and clever engineering, it was capable of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division (using 9's constant). A stylus was used to turn the dials. Later devices of this type include the Arithmometer , in the 1860s; and the Addiator , in 1920. The Addiator
812-485: Was the first iPad compatible with the new (second generation) Apple Pencil stylus. Like the second generation , a larger size and stylus compatibility were a point of difference from the rest of Apple's available iPads, but the third generation iPad Pro was also the first iPad to use facial recognition ( Face ID ) to unlock the device. Upgrades from the second generation iPad Pro include the more powerful A12X Bionic processor, storage capacity up to 1 terabyte and
841-419: Was the thinnest iPad yet at 5.9 mm thick, Second to the 13 inch iPad Pro 7th generation. The 2018 iPad Pro models were praised for their improved displays, slimmer bezels, the addition of Face ID and general speed improvements. Ben Sin from Forbes noted that although the screen is still an LCD screen, the 120 Hz refresh rate makes it feel more responsive. The switch to a USB-C connector received
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