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Substantial presentation time, specific workshops in the showroom according to Keynote, highlighting creativity applications that have already integrated the new features… On May 8, during the recent presentation of the new iPad Air and iPad Pro 2024, the Pencil Pro wasn't just there to make up the numbers.
And so much the better, because the stylus is an instrument that sometimes struggles to gain media attention. And this, for different reasons. Sometimes, some manufacturers simply prefer to focus on their star objects, the tablet. We are thinking here of Xiaomi and Lenovo. Others consider it a niche tool. It is therefore not a central element of communication for the general public. This is our assessment of the attitude of Microsoft or even Samsung.
Finally, a manufacturer like Honor can offer a stylus with its tablet, but not on all markets. This was the case with the latest Honor Pad 9, the accessory was not available on the French store.
With its new Pencil Pro, Apple wishes, as usual, to distance itself from the competition by propelling the stylus once and for all to the forefront. In other words, broaden its adoption to a greater number of iPad users while continuing to pamper the most creative profiles.
To achieve this dual objective, the Cupertino company is banking on a host of innovative features. Haptic feedback, new “pinch” gesture, body rotation, digital shadow…
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During our long-term test of the latest Pencil Pro, the editorial staff of Presse-citron was able to speak exclusively with three personalities from Apple. They were thus able to provide us with some additional insights into this product.
- Leslie Ikemoto, Director of Input Experience at Apple.
- Steve Lemay, Human Interface Designer at Apple Design Studio.
- And Scott Brodrick, iPad Product Marketing at Apple.
Before getting to the heart of the matter, and the test, it is appropriate to put the church back in the center of the village. The stylus is historically a close friend of the tablet, and of its ancestors, the PDA (Personal Digital Assistant). Considered the first consumer tablet in history, the GRiDPad was marketed in 1989 with this accessory.
A decade followed where the stylus would be at the center of many screens such as the Palm Pilot, the Sony Magic Link or even the Apple Newton. At the beginning of the 2000s, Microsoft invested massively to develop its idea of a Tablet-PC whose interactions relied solely on a stylus.
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It was a monumental flop that strangely indirectly gave birth to a tenacious legend. Apple, then led by Steve Jobs, would put the brakes on the stylus following certain statements by its late CEO. Including the famous one: “Nobody wants the stylus”.
Here we need to put things into context, because too often these words have been misinterpreted. The Cupertino company is not fond of the stylus on smartphones. That's a fact. For digital slates, Steve Jobs was probably rather against the essential use of the stylus, as was the case on “Tablet-PCs”. from Microsoft.
For Apple, the stylus is an accessory and not an inseparable and constitutive element of the product. A tablet must be independent and remain fully controllable with the hands. This is certainly why Apple waited until 2015 to release its first Pencil. Wait until touchscreen management on a tablet has become standard practice. While taking advantage of this time to create an ideal ecosystem capable of supporting interactions with a stylus.
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All put together, and contrary to popular belief, this makes us think that Apple has always believed in this accessory.The Bashful project from 1983, a prototype touch tablet with stylus, is fun to dig up in this sense. However, the American firm seems to have waited for the right technological moment to bring it into the spotlight.
Six after its last major update, the late USB-C Pencil 2023 was more of an expansion of the range, so Apple's magic pencil is getting a makeover. Not from a design point of view, the Pencil Pro and the Pencil 2 look exactly the same.
Same premium look, same magnetic charging system, same dimensions (166 x 8.9 mm) and practically the same weight.The new version loses one gram compared to the old version to stabilize at 19.15 grams. Still as easy to handle and perfectly designed, it’s a superb object. We didn't expect to fail Apple in this area anyway.
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As you will have understood, all the new features of the product are located under the hood. While keeping the good ideas of Pencil 2, notably the “double tap”, Apple is introducing new interactions.
Thus appears a new gesture which consists of pinching the pen, “ squeeze feature ” in VO ”. This allows a palette to emerge offering different interactions. This is made possible by the addition of sensors located just below the tip.
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On this new palette, it is possible to change tools, modify color options or even go back thanks to an intelligent extrapolation of the “Apple-Z” shortcut ;» of macOS. It's as brilliant as it is fluid.
To make the feeling of writing, drawing or painting even more realistic, the Pencil Pro also features a new gyroscope and a body rotation function, “Barrel Roll”, in original version.
Thanks to the latter, it is possible to rotate the angle of its tool in order to place it in the right direction above the screen. Thus, it becomes possible to adapt your line according to your gestures and the contours of brushes, highlighters or even pens.
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And to push the concern for precision even further, the Pencil Pro projects a different digital shadow in order to realize the tool used at the moment. So, if you use a brush, the shadow cast will be that of a brush. The same goes for a fountain pen and so on.
Another new feature is the haptic engine. Located at the end of the Pencil, it provides slight feedback when using pinch gestures. and “double tap” in order to clearly confirm the action carried out. The impulse is remarkably well controlled, so that each time we had the impression of pressing a button, whereas the Pencil Pro n 'doesn't actually have one.
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As usual with Apple, every detail has been thought through with perfectionism pushed to the extreme as detailed for us Steve Lemay, Human Interface Designer at Apple Design Studio.
“We have spent a lot of time thinking about every nuance of physical reality and we are constantly trying to bring that humanity into our products in the best way possible. For example, by combining the “Squeeze” gesture with haptic feedback, each user can use the Pencil Pro as they prefer. The “button” is present everywhere, the Pencil Pro does not have a fixed orientation. For digital shading, this makes the user feel like they are holding a real pencil or paintbrush. The goal is to create interactions so seamless that you no longer need to think about it.”
Naturally, the launch of the new Pencil Pro did not happen without a host of creative applications put forward by Apple. Examples include SketchUp, Goodnotes 6, Zinnia Journal, Adobe Fresco, Procreate and Procreate Dreams.
It is not a surprise. The bridges between Apple and the developers of certain applications have always been very important in highlighting the technological possibilities of the Pencil. And this is understandable, since it is the way in which the developers will appropriate it which will also guarantee its love rating among creatives of all stripes.
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This is what Leslie Ikemoto, Director of Input Experience at Apple, confirms.
“The process we followed to evolve the Pencil into the Pencil Pro is to offer all the technological elements to developers so that they can integrate them as they wish to serve our users in the best possible way. On Procreate Dreams with the Barrel Roll function, it becomes possible to change the orientation of objects in an animation in real time. With Pencil Pro, we want developers to be able to easily create their own interactions.”
As proof, the palette available with the pinch gesture is not identical on all applications. For example, the Goodnotes app has a different palette, in terms of the design of its icons, but also in terms of the shortcuts offered. This heterogeneity is, once again, an excellent thing, since the interactions and graphic feeling are not the same on a drawing or writing app or for musical creation.
There’s a bit of a danger when you add the suffix “ Pro ” has one of its products. Enclosing it, and therefore unconsciously reserving it for a niche. Without possible dispute, it is to date the most advanced stylus on the market.
For everyone photographers, videographers, graphic designers, editors, musicians and so many other professions related, directly or indirectly, to creation, it is an essential tool to at least try. If this is the case, it will have a good chance of quickly becoming indispensable.
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Capable of adapting to each profile, it increases creative possibilities as much as it streamlines work processes. And that's not all, despite its name “ Pro& nbsp;”, it can also be of great service to all the rest of the iPad users.
From a professional point of view, you don't necessarily have to be an architect or work in 3D modeling for this accessory to be useful to you. As a journalist, I was able to quickly retouch my photos, take notes in meetings and transcribe them in meetings or even keep my diary.
With each time, a significant time saving and disconcerting ease of use. Project management, sales, marketing and communication professions… It can be useful for many professions.
After a month of use, and not being used to styluses, it is difficult to part with them as soon as I use an iPad. The haptic feedback is amazing, the sensitivity management to avoid accidental clicks on the pinch is welcome and the addition of the “Locate” functionality to find it delighted, dazed that I am.
Above all, I really fell in love with the possibility of creating a personalized shortcut for the pinch gesture. It's as if we had a “hardware” control button and universal to trigger actions. A great first on iPad. This accumulation of good points makes the Pencil Pro extremely exhilarating to use and, ultimately, it becomes our navigation companion even for leisure.
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Either to start doodling, or to make some audio adjustments in Logic Pro that I used to do by hand or even just as a sort of mouse pointer to point at my iPad. And even for gaming, it may be able to completely transform your gaming experience. This was my case on Stardew Valley.
Given the technologies embedded in such a small object, its handling and its comfort, it seems difficult to us (for once) to beat Apple in terms of price. The Pencil Pro is much more than just a stylus and it doesn't beat its €149 price tag.
Some may argue that Samsung automatically ships its S-Pen with its tablets. However, the South Korean also does not hesitate to sell an S Pen Creator in addition for around a hundred euros. In any case, the goal here is not necessarily to pit Apple's latest product against other styluses.
Our decryption is mainly intended to enlighten owners iPad Air and iPad Pro which are not necessarily creative. Is the investment in the Pencil Pro worth it?? Yes, but…you will have to equip yourself.
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Finally, its only major flaw is that it is not backward compatible with the “older” iPad models. Between the new position of the front camera, now located on one of the longest sides, and the thinness of the new products, Apple had to thoroughly review the internal placement of quite a few sensors. Including that of charging by induction.
An answer which will be up to everyone's discretion. Although understandable, it is obviously clear, and logical, that Apple wants to push its new products. The Pencil Pro thus contributes to a range effect here.
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Especially since to make the most of it, we advise you to also have a Magic Keyboard or at least a Smart Folio. Based on this principle, the price to take advantage of the Pencil Pro starts at 958 euros. And with that, you will have the bare minimum. That is, an iPad Air M2 11-inch WiFi (128 GB), a Smart Folio and of course the Pencil Pro.
From June 10 to 14, Apple's highly anticipated World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC) will be held. With the program, most likely, a major overhaul of iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 focused on AI.
Without having directly given us information on this subject, Scott Brodrick, iPad Product Marketing, concluded our interview by again emphasizing the independence that a product like the iPad provides.
“Slimness and lightness are fundamental characteristics of iPads. They give the impression that we are holding a sheet of paper or a notebook while giving an incredible feeling of freedom. There is almost no barrier between you and what you create or do with it. 8217;Apple Pencil Pro”.
© Lemon squeezer
Since 2010, the iPad paradigm has evolved quite a bit. Little by little, Apple designed its product as a complete and coherent system, particularly on the Pro version. In 2018, the Pencil was unveiled, in 2019 the first version of the iPad OS was released and in 2020, the first Magic Keyboard with touchpad joined the family.
Nothing is generally left to chance with Apple, especially in the announcement timeline. New creative possibilities thanks to generative AI in iPadOS 18? Even more advanced integration of the “Pinch” gesture in other known applications ? Compatibility of the accessory with the Vison Pro headset ? Whatever happens, with the Pencil Pro, the stylus as&# 8217; accessory, no longer wishes to remain in the shadows.
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