Drawing and writing with an Apple Pencil is one of the best bits of using an iPad, and it looks like the digital pen could get a significant upgrade in the near future. At least, according to a new report.
The idea comes from leaker Majin Bu on X (formerly known as Twitter). According to the account, “the new Apple Pencil 3 will come with interchangeable magnetic tips.” They then go on to specify that these could be used for “drawing, technical drawing and painting.”
It’s an interesting idea, because right now there are various different uses for the Apple Pencil. You could use it to write notes, to paint a picture, or to touch up your photos. Those tasks are all very different, but right now there’s only one size of Apple Pencil tip available, meaning you don’t get much flexibility when you move between disparate tasks.
If there were different tip sizes available, you might be able to switch between them as easily as you would switch paint brushes or pencils. One tip may be a better size than your current one, so changing them up could make your tasks a little easier.
More choice and flexibility
You can replace tips on the existing Apple Pencil, but Apple only sells one size. You can change the tip when it gets worn out – or replace a lost one – but there are no diameter options beyond the base one that comes with the device.
What’s more, the current Apple Pencil uses screw-in tips. If Majin Bu is correct and a magnetic model is in the works, that could make changing tips a little quicker and easier. Of course, the magnetic link would have to be strong enough to hold the tip in place as you draw and paint on an iPad’s surface.
The existing Apple Pencil hasn’t been updated since the second-generation model came out in 2018. That update brought a flatter, more comfortable shape and magnetic charging, and evidently Apple hasn’t seen the need to alter anything since then. But if Majin Bu is correct, changes could be afoot.
It’s a big if, though, as Majin Bu doesn’t have a perfect track record for Apple leaks. As with all rumors, we’ll have to wait to see how it pans out. But if this does come to pass, it could be an exciting upgrade for Apple Pencil users everywhere.
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This post originally appeared on TechToday.