Apple is hosting a highly anticipated event on Tuesday that is expected to spotlight the iPad line-up, with the Apple Pencil front and center.
An update Monday morning on the Apple homepage spotted hints at the new features we could see for the redesigned third-generation Apple Pencil.
In fact, Apple CEO Tim Cook may have even been alluding to the new Apple Pencil in a comment from last week's earnings report press release: "We’re also looking forward to an exciting product announcement next week and an incredible Worldwide Developers Conference next month."
An April 23rd post on X from Cook also clearly refers to the Apple Pencil, reading, "Pencil us in for May 7!"
A "disappearing" hint on the Apple homepage supports some exciting rumors about what the new Apple Pencil might be capable of and how it will help launch a new era for the iPad.
Interactive Apple homepage image hints at exciting update for Apple Pencil
Visitors to the Apple homepage on Monday were greeted by a colorful animation of the logo for tomorrow's "Let Loose" event. It's not just animated. It's also interactive. If you swipe your mouse cursor over it after an animation ends, it will erase the logo, causing it to disappear as if you were using an Apple Pencil.
While this could simply be a fun way to drum up excitement about Tuesday's streaming-only event, it could also be a hint at one of the new features coming to the Apple Pencil: gesture and squeeze controls.
Rumors have been circulating for weeks now about the third-generation Apple Pencil getting squeeze sensitivity. That would open the door for a whole new library of controls that could make navigation with the Apple Pencil more streamlined.
For example, imagine working on some art on your iPad Pro using the Procreate app and simply being able to squeeze the Pencil to erase rather than tapping through a menu to change tools. This feature could also be used for things like zooming in and out or moving between apps.
We won't know for sure until Tuesday at 10 a.m. Eastern, but there are a few other rumored features to look out for.
A peek at the redesigned Apple Pencil 3
The third-generation Apple Pencil is expected to replace the second-generation model, which is currently the most expensive, high-end Pencil. That means we can expect it to do everything the current second-generation Apple Pencil can do, along with some new capabilities. However, the design will most likely remain similar to the current model. It's tough to perfect the pencil's design, after all.
Aside from squeeze controls, one exciting feature rumored for the Apple Pencil 3 is haptic feedback. That might seem like a minor upgrade, but it could transform the Pencil experience by recreating the tactile feedback you feel with normal writing utensils. Even outside of writing and drawing, it would make gestures and squeeze controls more intuitive by letting you know when you've activated one.
Squeeze controls aren't the only new control interface rumored for the Apple Pencil 3. It could also get swipe controls built into the Pencil itself. So, you might be able to swipe a finger along the flat edge of the Pencil to activate a button or change tools in a drawing app, all without taking your hand off the Pencil.
These new controls would transform navigation on the iPad and make the Apple Pencil a must-have accessory for everyone, not just students and artists. The Pencil could effectively function as a mouse for the iPad, giving users precise control capabilities in an intuitive, convenient form factor.
It's also possible that the third-generation Apple Pencil will get magnetic interchangeable tips. Apple already sells replacement tips for the second-generation Pencil, but they're all the same size. The new Pencil could get tips in a variety of sizes to fine-tune writing and drawing tasks.
If you're excited about the new-and-improved 3rd-generation Apple Pencil, you likely won't have to wait long to see it. Apple will reveal it on May 7 at its "Let Loose" virtual event. We'lcoverng everything Apple announces, so stay tuned for the latest news on the new Apple Pencil and revamped iPad line-up.
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