Take That, Note 9: New iPhones Will Get Apple Pencil

Earlier this week, a report surfaced suggesting this year's iPhone could come with Apple Pencil support. And now another report is saying the same.

Credit: Shutterstock

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

The Economic Daily News says Apple plans to offer Apple Pencil support in two new iPhones this year. Both the 5.8-inch iPhone X and the 6.5-inch iPhone X Plus will support Apple Pencil, according to the report, which cited sources. Apple has apparently decided against supporting Apple Pencil in the cheaper, LCD-based iPhone X.

Apple-tracking site 9to5Mac earlier reported on the claims.

Apple has been offering the Apple Pencil on the iPad Pro and now the entry-level 9.7-inch iPad. The stylus is designed to allow you to digitally write on the screen and annotate documents. Apple designed the accessory to be like a real writing instrument, and it generally works well.

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Some critics have argued that Apple artificially limits its use to the iPad and there's no reason it couldn't work on other devices. Even Apple CEO Tim Cook has hinted in the past that Apple Pencil could work well on the iPhone.

Bringing Apple Pencil support to the iPhone X and iPhone X Plus wouldn't necessarily be a groundbreaking addition. It would, however, put Apple in direct competition with the Samsung's Galaxy Note 9, which comes with a stylus.

This report and the one earlier this week from well-known Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, doesn't suggest that the iPhones will actually come with an Apple Pencil like the Galaxy Note. Instead, Apple will turn on Apple Pencil support and will likely force you to buy the stylus separately to take advantage of its features.

But that doesn't rule out the possibility that a mini Apple Pencil could be in the works.

The move would be the latest in a long line of tweaks Apple is making to its iPhones this year. The 6.5-inch iPhone X Plus, for instance, is new, and reports suggest the company will bump storage to 512GB. The 6.1-inch LCD-based iPhone would also be new to the lineup and cost much less than the OLED-based options, starting at $699.

Apple, of course, is remaining silent on its plans. But the company is expected to unveil the new iPhones in September.

Don Reisinger is CEO and founder of D2 Tech Agency. A communications strategist, consultant, and copywriter, Don has also written for many leading technology and business publications including CNET, Fortune Magazine, The New York Times, Forbes, Computerworld, Digital Trends, TechCrunch and Slashgear. He has also written for Tom's Guide for many years, contributing hundreds of articles on everything from phones to games to streaming and smart home.