Apple (AAPL) discreetly introduced its next-generation Pencil designed for iPads, now featuring USB-C charging.
This adjustment follows Apple’s discontinuation of the Lightning charger almost a month ago, marking a significant step toward universal charging in response to EU regulatory demands.
Apple Persists in Its Effort to Incorporate USB-C Into a Wider Range of Devices
The third-generation Apple Pencil, like its predecessors, is designed for note-taking, sketching, and annotating documents. It includes support for the hover feature, enabling users to preview and switch between various tools and app controls when used with the 12.9-inch iPad Pro (6th generation) and 11-inch iPad Pro (4th generation). Its price is $79, which is $20 less than the second-generation Apple Pencil and $50 less than the original.
Revolutionizing Charging for Customers
The most significant modification in the latest model is the charging system. And it’s remarkable not just because the company resisted this change for years. But also because it’s set to greatly simplify charging for its customers.
During its iPhone 15 event in September, the company revealed that all its upcoming smartphones and the new AirPods Pro would feature USB-C charging. Apple had already transitioned its iPads and MacBooks to USB-C charging. However, the decision to introduce it to iPhones happened within a year of the European Union’s approval of legislation mandating USB-C support for smartphones. Tablets, digital cameras, portable speakers, and other small devices by 2024.
This groundbreaking law seeks to reduce the variety of chargers and cables consumers need to deal with when acquiring a new device. It also enables users to interconnect devices and chargers, even if they are made by different manufacturers. In embracing this change, Apple will relinquish control over its wired charging system. they are making it less clear for many consumers to distinguish between reliable and subpar chargers.
While Apple does not provide specific figures for Pencil sales, David McQueen. A director at ABI Research estimates that approximately 42 million Pencils have been sold since its introduction in 2015. This estimation is based on the selling of 420 million iPads during that period. Assuming that 10% or fewer of these consumers purchased an Apple Pencil.
I believe this number is likely low due to its relatively high cost, and specialized usage. And the existence of more affordable alternatives that can function with an iPad,” he commented.
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