“Tim Ritchey is an expert in iPad styluses — the pressure-sensitive digital pens that draw with pinpoint accuracy on an iPad,” Leander Kahney reports for Cult of Mac. “Ritchey works for Adonit, a company that makes a line of Bluetooth styli for the iPad.”
“In the middle of a WWDC session this week, he heard something that prompted him to send a panicky note to his colleagues in Slack, the popular messaging system,” Kahney reports. “‘Oh shit!’ he said.”
“Steve Jobs famously pledged that Apple would never ship an iOS device with a stylus, but there’s mounting evidence that the company is working on a new and bigger work-oriented iPad that will come with a stylus,” Kahney reports. “A couple of big clues dropped this week at WWDC.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: The stylus will become more important with the “iPad Pro,” with its larger display for enterprise and education.
Before anybody goes quoting the guy below, an iPad is not an iPhone:
Who wants a stylus? You have to get ’em and put ’em away and you lose them. Yuck! Nobody wants a stylus, so let’s not use a stylus. – Steve Jobs, January 9, 2007
SEE ALSO:
Apple’s 12.9-inch ‘iPad Pro’ will feature Bluetooth smart stylus, Force Touch, NFC and more, source says – May 29, 2015
Apple preps iPad dual-app viewing mode, ‘iPad Pro’ models, and multi-user support – May 21, 2015
Apple’s new Force Touch patent application reveals stylus, virtual paint brush, 3D buttons interactions – May 28, 2015
Apple patent application details yet another stylus-like device – May 21, 2015
Analyst: Apple to unveil next-gen iPhones in August; 12.9-inch ‘iPad Pro’ by Christmas – May 21, 2015
Analyst: Apple likely to launch simple stylus with 12.9-inch iPad Pro; advanced 3D stylus due later – January 18, 2015
Apple granted another smart pen patent for capturing digital copies of notes and drawings – December 30, 2014
Apple files their 10th ‘Smart Pen’ patent of the year – December 6, 2014
iPen: Apple patent applications reveal advanced modular smart-pen – February 2, 2014
iPen? Apple secretly files three dynamic smart-pen patents in Europe – February 28, 2013
Apple patent application reveals advanced ‘active stylus’ for iOS devices – December 31, 2012
Apple patent application reveals more about their optical iPen and graphics program – May 24, 2012
Apple patent app details smart, heated ‘iPen’ stylus for iPad and iPhone – July 7, 2011
Apple patent application details new type of stylus for iPad – February 3, 2011
I get pissed off with articles that say what Steve would or would not do. It’s a different world since his death. Move on everyone.
I still doubt that Apple will release an iPad with a stylus..
I would agree, too inelegant. But they could produce an Apple stylus that was optimized for the iPad, while still keeping finger-touch as a fully functional option.
I disagree. A 12″ iPad with a stylus provides a lot of new use cases. As MDN notes: an iPad is not an iPhone.
I was thinking about the on-board stowage of a stylus. Something fiddly, to get lost, then be obvious in the fact that it’s missing, making you device look neglected. Just not stylish.
Personally, I use a stylus about 95% of the time I have my iPad in my hands. I’d love to see and Apple branded stylus with an Apple branded iPad case/cover that provided a retention capability for it. iPad upgrade time is rapidly approaching. If they do a stylus, I hope it’s soon.
One partial fix to the losing it prob: A proximity sensor that lets you know if you’re walking off without the stylus….
Spot on about “quoting the guy below” there, MDN. I never had a desire for a stylus until the rumors of the maxiPad came around and I started thinking about how I would use it. So I bought one for my wife to try out on her iPad, and she loves it. Even just playing games. So I’m sure I’ll want one when the day comes. But I don’t see myself ever wanting it for the phone in my pocket. Makes Steve still perfectly correct!
With a stylus I can precisely tap out a long number or navigate one of those maddening automated phone systems. Without a stylus, I risk chipping my newly painted nails.
I agree that the iPad Pro will become very important with a stylus but at the same token there’s nothing stopping Apple from adding stylus capability to 9.7″ iPad Air 3. Not all iPad users want the bigger screen just for stylus capability.
Apple has a number of stylus patents- and now this
http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2015/06/apple-files-a-patent-to-protect-six-ipad-magnetically-attachable-accessories-including-a-stylus-holder.html