Apple has been granted a patent for a next-generation Apple Pencil that uses optical sensors to work across various surfaces, including iPhones, MacBook Pros, and Apple Watches.
The patent describes an advanced stylus with optical tracking systems capable of detecting movement, tilt, rotation, and position in three-dimensional space.
This new Apple Pencil would not rely on a capacitive touchscreen but would utilize embedded sensors to capture motion and translate it into digital input.
The patent also envisions broader use cases for the Apple Pencil beyond drawing, such as system-level actions like cursor manipulation, file navigation, and audio controls across various Apple devices.