Apple Pencil (second generation)
"Like a fine wine, Apple Pencil got better with age. The iPadOS 14 adds a completely better design with improvements. "
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Classy, comfortable design
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Magnetic charging is cold
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Works great with ipadOS 14
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Now useful for more than art
Apple Pencil has been a tool for digital artists and graphic designers for years. Now on its second generation, the Apple Pencil is compatible with all iPad models, although the model you have will direct you to use the Apple Pencil model.
Regarding the new features available for the Apple Pencil in iPadOS 14, we thought it was time to revisit the Apple Pencil, especially considering the fact that those new features meant that anyone would have to Some use may be found.
Now that features like Scribble are available, should you buy a second-generation Apple Pencil for your iPad Pro or the new iPad Air? We put it to the test to find out.
A natural design
The first generation Apple Pencil offered a fully rounded design, and while some would appreciate the look, I think the new Apple Pencil 2 with its flat edge, feels a bit more natural. Something about being able to rest my pointer finger on that flat edge gives it a better grip.
Of course, the reason Apple said that the flat edge has less to do with hugging the pencil, and more to do with charging it. Gone is an incredibly unknown and strange charging technology for plugging a pencil into the lightning port of your iPad. For the second generation Apple Pencil, you simply turn the device off on the magnetic charger on the top edge of your iPad, and it will charge. It conveniently doubles as a good place to store it when you're not using it, while keeping it out of the Lightning port when you're not using the original pencil , Then it will make you crazy.
The second generation pencil is A. Little Thicker than an average pen or pencil, but not too much, and not enough to make it awkward. It is also quite light without feeling cheap or pungent.
Magnets in pencils and iPads place it well the majority of the time. At the end of a week, in which my iPad Pro and pencil were moved in and out of my backpack several times, it stopped when I didn't want to go once. The rest of the time, it remained firmly grounded - and it is generally a good place to keep pencils on the go.
The only downside to the new Apple Pencil is that it only works with a select few iPad models. It works with all iPad Pro models from 2018, and it works with the 2020 iPad Air (4th gen). The expectation is that once Apple brings the latest flat-sided modern design to the rest of its iPad line, with the base iPad and iPad Mini, the Apple Pencil will once again be universal.
Tool for all
Design is an important aspect of the Apple Pencil, but perhaps one of the best things about it is that like a fine wine, it gets better with age. This was true with the iPadOS 14, with Apple introducing a number of features that, frankly, make the pencil a tool for everyone - not just graphic designers.
We're focusing a bit more on hardware than software in this review, so we won't go in depth on those new features. That said, the standout feature here is Scribble, which lets users write and automatically convert to text using Apple's fancy text recognition technology. Works across complete Operating System - Anywhere you can type, now you can type.
This means that you can use the device for note-taking, while still being able to get searchable text after the fact. This recognition text can also come without the need to actually use Scribble. For example, you can select writing, copy and paste it, and even paste it directly as text. And, if you write a URL, address, phone number, or email address, iPadOS will be able to use that data to make calls, navigate you to an address, and so on. this is easy.
All Apple Pencil models have the same latency of 9ms, which is higher than the Pencil with iPadOS. But combined with the 120Hz refresh rate on the iPad Pro's display, you get an incredibly smooth-feeling, natural feel.
Of course, there are still features that are hardware-based, and not software-based. The most obvious of them is the ability to double-tap to switch devices or turn the device off, which is an easy shortcut. You can customize the feature based on the app you are using, but by default it switches to the eraser tool in most apps. This would certainly come in handy for graphic designers and artists - though perhaps less so for everyone without some customization.
Take us
The Apple Pencil is not an ideal tool, but it is getting closer. It's a bit expensive to be sure, but given the new features in iPadOS 14, it boasts features that pretty much everyone can use.
But it is still a bit of a luxury product for those who are not graphic designers or artists. That is to say, you probably don't need To get an Apple Pencil for note taking. If you have one, you can type your notes with a keyboard, or use good ol-fashioned pen and paper. That said, even though it is a toy for some, it is a really neat toy, and if you have the cash to spend on a pencil, you don't regret doing it.
Is there a better option?
No, other companies offer their own stylus, such as Samsung with their S Pen, but this is only for Samsung devices. As a well-rounded experience, the second generation Apple Pencil cannot be beat.
How long will this last?
As long as you take care of it, Apple Pencil should last for at least a few years. It is difficult to know if Apple will release a third-generation pencil sometime, but as long as the company keeps updating iPadOS with new pencil-related features, it should become increasingly useful over time.
Should you buy one
Yes. If you are a graphic designer or artist, you may need one, but even though you are not an Apple Pencil 2, it has many features that may be useful to you.
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