Apple released its first Apple Pencil in 2015, and the stylus that used to be a target for irony became a vital part of the iPad Pro line.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) recently published a patent that Cupertino filed in 2014, which is a stylus covered in touch sensors along its length.
This does not mean users will tap on different places of the Pencil to get access to different capabilities.
Instead, the patent shows that the gizmo will make use of the sensors to understand how the user is gripping the Pencil. This allows for the device to record numerous gestures, such as rotating the stylus, which will be followed by a reaction from the software of the iPad.
By engaging in the diverse functionality of the Pencil, professionals who use Apple's slates will be able to pour more expression and creativity into both handwriting and drawing.
The force-sensitive sensors that appear in the USPTO document would read a firmer grip from the user and translate it into an on-screen action. For example, the harder grip could boost drawing precision or trigger the activation of a number of virtual buttons.
Another example from the patent demonstrates how "sliding" a finger up or down the shaft of the stylus could translate into a scroll up or down command.
When the user rotates the barrel of the stylus, an on-screen object could follow the direction and angle of the movement. Further customization can also be potentially available as one tap on the stylus' body could correspond to a simple click, while a two-fingered squeezing could be the equivalent of a long press.
Keep in mind that since we are looking at a patent, the company might decide not to implement it. However, rumors surfaced that the upcoming Apple stylus will be packed with goodies. From the slew of expected upgrades, interchangeable tips and an eraser at the non-writing end of the stylus stand out.
Third-party manufacturers have already featured such technologies in their pens, and Apple seems ready to join them.
Apple Insider also reports on a different patent, one that could allow the next generations of iPhones to determine if the user is holding the phone with his right or left hand.
This would allow for the user interface's (UI) instantaneous adjustment, balancing the scales between right-handed users and left-handed ones. The patent reads that the device will sense the user's thumb so it gauges the best position for the UI. The implementation should come in handy for those iPhone Plus owners who are struggling to use their massive handsets one-handedly.
