Apple has reportedly dropped its plans to launch an affordable Apple Pencil. It was codenamed ‘Marker’ and scheduled for a September release alongside the iPhone 14 lineup. The new development comes from a post on the Chinese microblogging platform Weibo.
Apple’s first generation Pencil was launched in 2015, whereas the second generation model debuted in 2018. The alleged Apple Pencil was expected to be an affordable offering with toned-down features.
Also Read: Croma’s Darkest Black Friday sale is live; Massive discount on Apple MacBooks
Apple cancels plans to develop affordable Pencil
As per the report, the planned Apple Pencil was set to be priced $50 (~ Rs 4,100). This would have made it significantly cheaper than the first and second-generation offerings. The affordable Pencil was also said to be compatible with iPhone and support charging via the USB-C cable. However, the accessory was tipped to lack some features, including pressure-sensing technology and a built-in battery. The Cupertino-based company reportedly developed a chip that would be used to power the stylus through the screen, which is similar to Samsung’s S-Pen technology.
Additionally, Apple’s affordable iPad 10th gen now uses a USB-C port. It is compatible with the only first-generation Apple Pencil that can be charged via Lightning cable. This meant that users with the tablet and accessory would have to purchase an extra dongle costing $9 (~Rs 750).
It’s unclear why Apple has cancelled the development of an affordable Apple Pencil. We may have to wait till next year to know further details.