Apple Predicted to Launch Optional Stylus Accessory Alongside 12.9-Inch 'iPad Pro'

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is back with another report outlining his belief that Apple will launch a stylus as an optional accessory for the company's rumored 12.9-inch "iPad Pro". With the new iPad's larger screen, it will likely prove popular with enterprise and creative users who tend to have more need for a stylus and Kuo believes Apple will fill that need with an in-house solution.

Given that it’s more precise than a person’s fingers, a stylus can be more convenient to use than the combination of keyboard and mouse in some cases. Therefore, we believe Apple’s stylus will improve the user experience of 12.9-inch iPad.

apple_haptic_stylus

Apple's proposed haptic stylus from a 2010 patent application, not necessarily reflective of the company's current thinking on such a device

Kuo believes the stylus will be an optional accessory rather than included standard with the new iPad, as the relatively expensive stylus would drive the base cost of the iPad too high.

We don’t think all users will need a stylus initially. Coupled with its unfavorable cost structure, high selling prices may turn consumers off if the 12.9-inch iPad is always bundled with it. We therefore expect the stylus to be an optional accessory before sufficient user feedback is received.

Looking at technical details of the stylus, Kuo predicts it will charge via a Lightning connector, believing a more convenient wireless charging solution would be too expensive and require difficult antenna design that Apple will likely forego initially. Kuo also believes the initial stylus model will not include a gyroscope accelerometer, but future models could include the component to support "3D handwriting" to allow the user to write on other surfaces or even in the air.

Kuo believes Apple will launch this new stylus in the second or third quarter of this year, roughly the timeframe predicted for the iPad Pro launch. The company has filed for a number of patents related to stylus technology, with the most recently publicized one being a "communicating stylus" that would automatically transcribe handwritten notes into digital form.

Related Roundup: iPad Pro
Related Forum: iPad

Top Rated Comments

NewtonPippin Avatar
113 months ago
Sigh... Steve is rolling over in his grave :(
Score: 49 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kissaragi Avatar
113 months ago
Funny, everyone was laughing at Microsoft when they included the Stylus with the Surface Pro, and now it seems Apple is following suit.

I know I know, 'Apple does it better',,, 'now is the time, it was too early two years ago', etc.. but you have to give them credit that they were on to something with the idea of 'productive tablet' rather than a dumb media consumption device

Please dont say everyone, some of us were very happy with Microsoft including a stylus.
Score: 43 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Tiger8 Avatar
113 months ago
We laughed at Microsoft when they did that

Funny, everyone was laughing at Microsoft when they included the Stylus with the Surface Pro, and now it seems Apple is following suit.

I know I know, 'Apple does it better',,, 'now is the time, it was too early two years ago', etc.. but you have to give them credit that they were on to something with the idea of 'productive tablet' rather than a media consumption device.
Score: 30 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Alphabetize Avatar
113 months ago
If Apple did do this, I hope the pen would be pressure sensitive for digital painting and stuff.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
yaboyac29 Avatar
113 months ago
Having rewatched the 2007 Jobs iPhone announcement recently, this bit particularly stands out regarding this news:

http://youtu.be/4YY3MSaUqMg?t=10s

"You have to get them, and then put them away... yeuch!"

You're acting like you would be forced to use the stylus.

Back then, you were forced to use it with "smart" phones because using your finger would be annoying.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Chrjy Avatar
113 months ago
Having rewatched the 2007 Jobs iPhone announcement recently, this bit particularly stands out regarding this news:

http://youtu.be/4YY3MSaUqMg?t=10s

"You have to get them, and then put them away... yeuch!"

Perhaps not on an iPhone as it's too small but on a tablet give people a choice!

It's also worth noting that was 8 years ago and things have come a long way since then, there's now much more you can do with touch interfaces so a stylus which perhaps was not a good idea a number of years ago would be a good option now.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Apple WWDC23 macOS Sonoma hero

macOS Sonoma Launching This Week With These New Features

Sunday September 24, 2023 12:45 pm PDT by
Apple previously announced that macOS Sonoma will be released this Tuesday, September 26. The free software update includes many new features and changes for the Mac, including the five that we have highlighted below. In addition to these five features, we have shared the full release notes for macOS Sonoma below for a complete overview of everything new. Desktop Widgets macOS Sonoma...
iPhone 16 Mock Header With Dynamic Island

Skipping the iPhone 15 Pro? Here's What's Rumored for iPhone 16 Pro

Friday September 22, 2023 9:29 am PDT by
Are you skipping the iPhone 15 Pro and waiting another year to upgrade? If so, we already have some iPhone 16 Pro rumors for you. Below, we recap new features rumored for the iPhone 16 Pro models so far:Larger displays: The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will be equipped with larger 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch displays, respectively, according to Ross Young, CEO of Display Supply Chain...
iPhone 16 Side Feature

iPhone 16 to Include an Additional Capacitive 'Capture' Button

Monday September 25, 2023 12:50 pm PDT by
The iPhone 16 series is expected to gain an additional capacitive button, known internally as the "Capture Button." Codenamed "Project Nova," the button is likely to be one of the main selling points of the iPhone 16 lineup, assuming it gets past the initial testing phase. The Capture Button is located on the same side as the Power button, only positioned slightly lower - where the mmWave cutout...
ipad mini blue

Apple to Launch iPad Mini 7 Later This Year, Industry Report Suggests

Monday September 25, 2023 3:16 am PDT by
Apple could be preparing to release a seventh-generation iPad mini before the end of the year, based on a new report by DigiTimes. In an article discussing stagnating global tablet demand in the second half of 2023, the Taiwan-based outlet forecasts an uptick in Apple's share of the market owing to orders for a "small-size" iPad in the fourth quarter. From the report (see bold): In the...