Apple Pencil is one of the best stylus for illustrations, drawings and taking notes. While the tips can be replaced, rumor has it that the tech giant is working on a 3rd Gen Apple Pencil which will come with interchangeable magnetic tips.
According to a post by a user named Majin Bu on X (formerly Twitter) citing sources, the upcoming Apple Pencil will have 3 tips – for drawing, technical drawing and painting. The post also shows the 3 tips, which vary in size and thickness.
However, he did not share more information like how strong these magnets will be and if users will be able to switch between tips without the risk of them coming out during usage.
The Apple pencil 3 should contain three types of tips each one comes in various types of thickness it is used for various types of work.
The tech giant has been shipping the second-generation Apple Pencil with iPad Pros since 2018, making it one of the oldest Apple products still on sale.
In 2021, Apple filed a patent for interchangeable nibs, so it won’t be a surprise if the 3rd gen Apple Pencil comes with various tips. The upcoming stylus might come with increased battery life and is rumoured to be more accurate.
As for the launch window, the tech giant might unveil the upcoming Apple Pencil with the much-rumoured iPad Mini 7 or new iPad Pros. However, nothing is official at the moment, so we suggest you take this information with a huge grain of salt.
Along with the aforementioned rotating tip, there are plenty of innovative new features rumoured to be coming to the Apple Pencil 3. We've heard that the new stylus could act as a real-world eyedropper tool, capable of sampling colours from physical surfaces. As spotted by PatentlyApple, a patent, catchily titled Apple Pencil with Optical Sensor For Sampling Surfaces (we have a feeling that might get shortened to Apple Pencil 3), describes an Apple Pencil with colour sensors embedded in the tip itself, capable of scanning both colours and textures.
Another patent suggests the Apple Pencil 3 could detect multiple gestures on the device itself, registering swipes and squeezes (much like the AirPods Pro 2) alongside the current double-tap sensitivity used to swap tools on the Apple Pencil 2.
And one slightly duller (yet also potentially lifesaving) rumoured new feature is the addition of Find My support. Most digital artists who work on iPad have experienced the bone-chilling terror of losing their Apple Pencil. With any luck, it'll just be sitting at the bottom of your bag having detached from the device – but the addition of location tracking could make it a lot harder to misplace the accessory.
The third generation Apple Pencil has been rumoured to be arriving with the launch of every new iPad since 2021's new iPad Pros, but since then plenty of release windows have come and gone. The next most likely release date is alongside new hardware at Apple's annual September event where we're expecting to see the iPhone 15 – but with the next iPad Pro not rumoured to be dropping until 2024, it's possible we'll have to wait until next year.
As for price, again we have precious little intel to go on here – except for the price of the current models. The first generation Apple Pencil currently costs $99/£109 and the Apple Pencil 2 is $129/£139. If Apple decides to keep the current two models on sale (the Apple Pencil 1 has been around since 2015), it could bump the price up to at least $150. Or, the Pencil 3 could replace the Apple Pencil 2 at that $129 price point.
Time will tell what's in store for Apple's stylus, but don't forget – there are plenty of other options out there too. For our pick of the best, check out our guide to the best Apple Pencil alternatives.
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