Apple apparently canceled $49 Apple Pencil launch with iPhone support at the last minute

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Apple Pencil 2 in Hand
Was Apple indeed working on a $49 Apple Pencil for iPhone?
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

A sketchy rumor claims Apple planned to introduce a $49 Apple Pencil with iPhone compatibility. The company wanted to launch the budget Apple Pencil alongside new iPhones in September.

For unclear reasons, though, Apple changed its mind at the last minute and canceled the product’s launch.

Apple apparently produced a million units of its budget Apple Pencil

Originally posted on Weibo, leaker DuanRui claims the $49 Apple Pencil would have been similar to Samsung’s S Pen. Codenamed “Maker,” the stylus apparently lacked pressure sensing and a rechargeable battery. Instead, similar to Samsung’s Galaxy Note and S lineup of smartphones, it used an onboard chip to draw power from the iPhone or iPad’s display.

Seemingly, Apple even produced a million units of the budget Apple Pencil. So, it is unclear what made the company cancel its launch at the last minute. The entire stock will also be scrapped now, indicating that Apple now has no intentions of launching the product.

More importantly, if Apple had indeed produced a million units of the stylus, then it is surprising that word about the product did not leak before. Given the outlandish claim in this rumor without any evidence, it is best to take it with a pinch of salt.

Do you want an Apple Pencil with iPhone support?

Apple currently sells the first-gen and second-gen Apple Pencils for $99 and $129, respectively. Both feature pressure sensitivity and a built-in battery but do not work with iPhones. There are dumb hacks through which you can use an Apple Pencil with your iPhone, but they are not elegant.

This is also not the first time rumors of Apple Pencil support for iPhone have leaked online. While the stylus is a useful iPad accessory to have, I am unsure how useful it will be on the iPhone’s relatively small display. Perhaps this could also explain Apple’s apprehension of launching an Apple Pencil specifically for the iPhone.

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