Why a new Apple Pencil support could be coming to ‘iPhone 11 Pro’

Macworld:

Online retailer Mobile Fun is selling an iPhone 11 Pro case by Olixar with an interesting feature: a slot on the rear of the case for a smaller Apple Pencil. Normally we’d completely dismiss such a odd rumor as ridiculous, but there are a few reasons why we’re lending some credence to this one. For one, it’s already being sold, but more importantly, Mobile Fun has a decent track record of predicting phone designs before launch… Not only does Olixar think the iPhone 11 Pro will have Apple Pencil support, it also think Apple will be making a shorter Apple Pencil for it.

Plausible: While we wouldn’t be surprised to see this rumor go up in smoke, it’s just crazy enough to be believable. If Apple is actually going to differentiate its flagship iPhone with the “Pro” moniker this year, it’s going to need something other than a bigger screen to justify it. Apple Pencil support would fill that need well, and the current Pencil isn’t exactly iPhone friendly, in that it’s taller than every model. So maybe a smaller Pencil that only works with the iPhone 11 Pro isn’t so crazy.

MacDailyNews Take: Years ago, we suggested reserving the “Pro” name in iOS device for Pencil support, but then Apple shot that idea all to hell with Pencil support in the iPad (makes sense for education). Maybe they can use “Pro” to delineate Pencil support just among iPhones, exactly as we suggested back in November 2017:

‘ProMotion – especially and naturally coupled with Apple Pencil support – would be a strong reason to choose iPhone X Plus, iPhone X Pro*, or whatever they name it.

*”Pro” means Apple Pencil support already, so it makes sense to use “Pro” for any iPhone with Apple Pencil support, too. – MacDailyNews, November 28, 2017

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If Apple would make Apple Pencil an option for every iOS device, they’d only sell more Apple Pencils and iOS devices. It’d be the very definition of a “win-win” situation. — MacDailyNews, August 24, 2017

We do expect a larger OLED iPhone later this year. We continue to hope it’ll include Apple Pencil support (with a ProMotion display) and therefore carry the “Pro” moniker. — MacDailyNews, February 26, 2018