New battery-free Apple Pencil patent could point to future iPhone support

The Apple Pencil has long been a great accessory for iPad owners who want to take notes on their tablets. It's also perfect for artists who want to sketch on their iPad as well, but it can always be improved. The lack of iPhone support has also long been an annoyance for some, especially given the popularity of the Samsung Galaxy Note line of phones followed by the Galaxy S24 Ultra and similar devices. But a new patent suggests that things could be about to change.

Whereas the current Apple Pencil requires to be charged, a new patent suggests that Apple is working on a new version that is battery-free which could open the door to a new, smaller version that would work with other devices like the iPhone and even the Apple Watch.

2

The patent, which was filed to protect a design invention back in September 2023, was only approved on April 11, 2024. It's called 'Photo-sensing enabled display for stylus detection' and describes a non-powered stylus similar to an Apple Pencil.

The description of the new stylus details a system that includes an optical stylus and an optical sensing system that, when used together, could detect hover distance, title angle, and more.

Notably, the patent includes illustrations for an iPhone, an Apple Watch, and a MacBook alongside an iPad so it's possible Apple is working to expand the Apple Pencil beyond its current tablet limitations.

It's also important to remember that Apple patents just about everything its developers come up with, so there is no guarantee that this will ever happen - but it's interesting to ponder, that's for sure.