Apple has introduced an entry-level Apple Pencil featuring USB-C charging.

Apple has unveiled an affordable Apple Pencil, which is equipped with USB-C functionality. This iPad accessory is priced at $79 and includes a sliding cap to reveal the USB-C port. Furthermore, it has a magnetic attachment feature that allows it to cling to the side edge of various iPad models, including the 10th-generation version released last year.

This lower price point, however, comes with some trade-offs in comparison to the more advanced first- and second-generation Pencils. Notably, it lacks support for features such as pressure sensitivity, wireless pairing and charging, and the double-tap function for tool switching. Nevertheless, it still retains hover support when used with M2 models of the iPad Pro.

The initial Apple Pencil model featured a protruding Lightning connector, which needed to be plugged into the iPad’s port for charging. In contrast, the second-generation model introduced wireless charging but unfortunately isn’t compatible with the 10th-generation iPad released by Apple last year. This left owners of the 10th-generation iPad with limited options if they wished to utilize Apple’s advanced stylus. It has indeed been a perplexing period for iPad accessories.

The USB-C Apple Pencil is compatible with a range of iPads, including the third through sixth-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro, the first through fourth-generation 11-inch iPad Pro, the fourth and fifth-generation iPad Air, the 10th-generation iPad, and the sixth-generation iPad Mini. The USB-C Apple Pencil will be available for purchase in early November.

In 2018, Apple introduced a second version of the Apple Pencil, fittingly named the Apple Pencil 2. It marked a substantial improvement over the original model, incorporating features like wireless charging (eliminating the need to connect it to an iPad for charging), a magnetic attachment mechanism to adhere to the side of supported iPads (preventing it from rolling off surfaces), and support for gesture controls for tasks like tool switching within apps. However, these enhancements also came with an increased price of $129, a $30 rise compared to the first Apple Pencil.

Apple has been in need of some iPad updates. It unveiled the 10th-generation iPad in October 2022, released iPad Pros featuring M2 chips during the same month, introduced an iPad Air with an M1 chip in March 2022, and presented the revamped iPad Mini in September 2021.