Given Steve Jobs' distaste for styluses, it comes as a surprise that Apple has recently applied for a patent application exploring the use of a stylus for the capacitive touch sensors found on the iPhone. Unlike the recently revived Newton patent, this new patent was actually filed with today's technology in mind.
The document explores the use of a stylus on modern devices such as the iPhone which are typically tuned for finger detection. Unlike older resistive screens, the new capacitive screens require styluses to have special conductive tips in order to be recognized. While we don't expect Apple to offer a stylus for the iPhone, the input methods for the upcoming tablet has remained up for debate.
The patent application is authored by John Elias, one of the co-founders of Fingerworks.
Thursday August 13, 2026 4:20 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Apple will introduce at least five new devices at its iPhone-centric event next month, and it's also possible we'll get devices waiting on Siri AI like the Apple TV.
iPhone 18 Pro
The iPhone 18 Pro is going to look like the iPhone 17 Pro, but with a smaller Dynamic Island. It's getting some internal updates, including a new Wide camera with a variable aperture for more control over lighting ...
Friday August 14, 2026 12:15 pm PDT by Juli Clover
For the first time since Apple started selling standard and "Pro" iPhones, we're not going to get an entry-level iPhone model this fall. Apple doesn't plan to release an iPhone 18 in September, and will only launch the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and foldable iPhone Ultra. The lower-cost iPhone 18 won't come out until spring 2027.
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Apple has yet to reveal when the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Ultra will be announced and released, but the dates usually follow a familiar pattern.
As usual, the event is expected to take place in the first half of September.
Labor Day falls on September 7 this year. The last time the holiday was on that day was in 2020, but the iPhone event that year was delayed until October due to the...
Apple's first foldable iPhone, with a book-style design featuring a ~5.5-inch outer display and a ~7.8-inch inner display with a minimal crease down the middle.
