Apple Pencil 3 to Get New 'Squeeze' Gesture, iPadOS 17.5 Beta Suggests: Report

New iPad Air and iPad Pro models are expected to launch in May.

Written by Manas Mitul, Edited by Siddharth Suvarna | Updated: 3 April 2024 15:45 IST

Apple Pencil 3 to Get New 'Squeeze' Gesture, iPadOS 17.5 Beta Suggests: Report

Photo Credit: Apple

Apple Pencil (USB-C) (right) was launched as an affordable alternative to Apple Pencil 2 (left)

Highlights

Apple Pencil 3 could also get support for the Find My app
Apple Pencil 3 and new Magic Keyboard are expected to launch soon
The squeeze gesture on Apple Pencil could be used for quick interactions

Apple is gearing up to launch new iPad Air and iPad Pro models soon. The new line of tablets is expected to get updated chipsets, larger displays, thinner bezels and more new features. The Cupertino, California-based company is also expected to debut new accessories, including a Magic Keyboard with a larger trackpad and a new Apple Pencil, alongside the iPad models. A new report claims that the upcoming Apple Pencil accessory will include a “squeeze” gesture.

The iPhone maker is said to be working on the third-generation Apple Pencil, expected to launch alongside new iPad models. A 9to5Mac report on Tuesday claimed that the Apple Pencil 3 will feature a new ‘squeeze' gesture. According to the report, evidence of the feature was found in the code of iPadOS 17.5 beta, which was released to developers on Tuesday.

The “squeeze” gesture could likely be triggered by pressing down on the Apple Pencil, the report said. The feature could be used for quick interactions, like adding signatures, stickers or text, while using the accessory.

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The “squeeze” gesture was not present on the Apple Pencil 2, which was released in 2018. Thus, the evidence found in the iPadOS 17.5 beta code suggests that the feature would likely be present in the next Apple Pencil, the report added.

Apple Pencil 3 is expected to feature magnetically interchangeable tips and support for Find My app. A report last month claimed that the pencil could get a shorter body and a glossier finish than its predecessors. The multiple magnetically interchangeable tips could be used to sketch in different styles.

The Apple Pencil 3 could also get support for the Find My app, enabling users to find the accessory in case it gets lost or misplaced. Support for Precise Location feature, however, is not confirmed. The next Apple Pencil is expected to get the USB Type-C port, just like the Apple Pencil launched last year.

Apple Pencil (2023) With USB Type-C Port Launched at This Price

Apple Pencil (2023) features a USB Type-C port
Photo Credit: Apple

Apple introduced a new Apple Pencil in October last year as an affordable alternative to the Apple Pencil 2. The accessory sports a matte finish and a flat edge the helps it attach magnetically to the side of the 10th-generation iPad. The Apple Pencil (2023) features a USB Type-C port for charging and pairing, revealed by a sliding mechanism at the top.

The new iPad Air and iPad Pro models were expected to debut in March or April, but Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported last week that the launch of the next-generation Apple tablets had been delayed to May. The report said that M2-powered iPad Air and M3-powered iPad Pro models would be unveiled early next month, ahead of Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June.

Is the new expensive 10th generation iPad worth buying instead of its predecessor? We discuss this on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

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Further reading: Apple, Apple Pencil, Apple Pencil 3, iPad, iPad Air, iPad Pro

Manas Mitul

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In his time as a journalist, Manas Mitul has written on a wide spectrum of beats including politics, culture and sports. He enjoys reading, walking around in museums and rewatching films. Talk to Manas about football and tennis, but maybe don’t bring up his video game backlog. More