The upcoming Apple Pencil 3 could come with a new function that would open up a whole host of tactile commands.
After the code of iPadOS 17.5 beta was released to developers on Tuesday, 9to5Mac pointed to evidence of a new “squeeze” feature for an as-yet-unreleased Apple Pencil.
Since the current gen of Apple Pencils appear to lack pressure sensors on their surface (with the Apple Pencil 2 seemingly possessing just a pressure sensor on its tip), these clues may shine a light on an upcoming Apple Pencil 3, which could complement the release of the latest iPad Pro and iPad Air.
Apple's upgraded line of tablets are rumored for release in May, according to Bloomberg.
The feature could make light work of basic tasks
Although it's not clear at this stage how the “squeeze” function on the upcoming Apple Pencil will be triggered, the name suggests it will be pressure-based, and could help users get a grip on speedy commands like adding text and shapes, as well as signatures and stickers.
Further rumors, picked up by 9to5mac, suggest the Apple Pencil 3 may also feature interchangeable magnetic tips.
There’s also talk that a future edition of the Apple Pencil will transcend the tablet and be compatible with the Apple Vision Pro as well.
For those on a stripped-back budget, Apple announced a cheaper Apple Pencil in October last year. Priced at $79, it’s a lot more basic as you can imagine, and lacks features like pressure sensitivity and wireless pairing and charging, but is still equipped with a sleep mode to preserve battery and USB-C charging, which is compatible with the iPad 10th gen.
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