There are many misleading reviews about Apple Pencil. Many of them categorize Apple Pencil as a stylus. They forgot how Steve Jobs hated a stylus.
“Who wants a stylus? …yuck!”
That’s what Steve Jobs said when he introduced the first iPhone back in 2007. He also added that iPhone will not use a stylus. Nine years after, Apple launched an Apple Pencil and many people assume it as a stylus in Apple version. This controversial thing is still continuing. The important question, is Apple Pencil a stylus?
The characteristics of stylus
Stylus and a touchscreen technology
The term of stylus refers to a small stick to help you navigating precisely when you are interacting with a device, which has a touchscreen technology. At that time, the touchscreen device was not as good as it is today. It wasn’t too sensitive and responsive, that’s why we have to press it a bit stronger and stylus can help you to do that.
You can not separate the stylus from the device
Stylus is a compulsory tool to interact and navigate on a touchscreen device. That’s why the device has a special hole to put the stylus in and make sure it’s always there when you want to use it.
Stylus was made to navigate UI and access small icon
The UI on the smartphone or tablet in the past was not made for fingers. Its icons were small and had to be accessed using a stylus.
Stylus cannot do a multitouch
Stylus can only be used to proceed one touch at one time. It uses to tap, tap and hold, drag, or scroll, a typical interaction on a conventional touchscreen device.
Stylus in the eyes of Steve Jobs
Because the iPhone has not been born yet, the capacitive touchscreen with a multiple input didn’t exist, and the UI on a smartphone wasn’t suitable for fingers. Steve Jobs wanted to introduce a device that will not be limited by those 4 characteristic features of a stylus. He wanted a tool to be able to interact with a display naturally. Fingers. Supported by a multitouch technology and iOS, the interaction between display and fingers is more effective and richer.
Why Apple created the Apple pencil
Almost 9 years after Jobs mocked a stylus, Apple introduced the Apple Pencil. It’s an accessory specially made for iPad Pro. A tool that allows you to work more precisely on the iPad Pro, including drawing, sketching, writing, and more.
With all the advantages of it, such as low latency and tilt feature, Apple emphasized the function Apple Pencil is for sketching. This accessory is actually addressed for designers and artists who need a precision tool in doing their work on iPad Pro.
If you buy an iPad Pro and don’t need Apple Pencil, you don’t have to buy it as it isn’t necessary. It shows that this accessory doesn’t fit with one of those 4 characteristic features of a stylus. This is why Apple sells it separately from iPad Pro – not everyone needs it.
Apple Pencil is a consequence taken by Apple in order to make iPad a better device. This accessory can help making a painting or a sketch precisely. It has the better latency feature than a Surface Pen. Apple Pencil has a very good sensitive pressure. Furthermore, there is no tilt feature on any other similar tool.
So, do you think it’s a stylus?
Actually, if you want to classify Apple Pencil as a stylus, that is fine. But, if you assume it is the same stylus as the old one, that’s not right. If Steve Jobs were alive, I believe he would approve the Apple Pencil. Why? Because iPad needs the best precise tool for sketching and the answer is Apple Pencil.
Read also: Are You Ready To Replace Your Computer With iPad Pro?
