Apple Pencil Pro: What you need to know before buying

Apple’s latest stylus, the Pencil Pro, has been making waves since its unveiling. Designed to work seamlessly with the new M4 iPad Pro models, the Pencil Pro promises an unparalleled digital drawing and writing experience. However, as with any new technology, there are certain limitations and issues that potential buyers should be aware of before making a purchase.

One of the most significant limitations of the Pencil Pro is its lack of backward compatibility. Unlike previous generations of the Apple Pencil, the Pencil Pro is not compatible with older iPad models. This means that users who upgrade to the latest iPad Pro will need to purchase the new Pencil Pro separately, even if they already own an older Apple Pencil.

What’s more, the older Apple Pencil models are not compatible with the new iPad Pro devices either. This lack of cross-compatibility has been a point of contention for many users, who feel that Apple is forcing them to buy new accessories unnecessarily. YouTuber MKBHD also highlighted this problem in their recent video titled “5 Weird iPad Pro (M4) Decisions”.

The added cost of purchasing the Pencil Pro on top of the already expensive iPad Pro could be a deterrent for some users, especially those who were hoping to continue using their existing Apple Pencil with the new tablet. Apple’s “eco-friendly” approach seems to have been thrown out of the window with this decision. The company’s reasoning for the change also seems iffy.

Apple has relocated the front camera and FaceID sensor array on the latest iPad Pro models from the short edge to the long edge. This change means the camera and sensors now occupy the internal cavity previously used for the second-generation Apple Pencil’s inductive charging system. To accommodate this redesign, Apple has completely revamped the charging system for the new Apple Pencil Pro, moving the associated electronics to different cavity locations along the top edge of the iPad Pro chassis.

As a result of this internal redesign, the second-generation Apple Pencil is incompatible with the new iPad Pro models, and the new Apple Pencil Pro is also incompatible with earlier iPad Pro models. The changes in hardware and charging architecture have made the two generations of Apple Pencils mutually exclusive, preventing interchangeability between the old and new iPad Pro devices. You can check out the Apple Pencil compatibility list here for more details.

While the Apple Pencil Pro is compatible with Apple’s Find My app, allowing users to locate their stylus if misplaced, the setup process has caused some confusion among users.

Initially, some users reported that the Find My app did not seem to recognize the Pencil Pro, leading to concerns about a lack of support for the feature. However, as one user explained, the Pencil Pro can be added to the Find My app manually.

“Actually just opened Find My app on the iPad and hit the + and selected add pencil, and it’s on the device list now. The Pencil was attached and charging the whole time, and it worked,” the user described.

Here’s a helpful video guide that you can follow to add the Apple Pencil Pro to Find My:

While not a significant limitation, the need to manually add the Pencil Pro to the Find My app has caused some annoyance for users who expected the process to be more seamless. This confusion could have been avoided with clearer instructions from Apple regarding the setup process.

Nevertheless, with the proper setup, users can take advantage of the Find My app’s capabilities to locate their Pencil Pro if it is misplaced, providing peace of mind for those who have invested in the premium stylus.

Another shortcoming of the Apple Pencil Pro is its lack of broad app compatibility. Despite Apple’s claims of improved functionality, many users have reported issues with using the Pencil Pro in popular drawing and note-taking apps like Procreate.

Anyone else feel duped by the keynote presentation that showcased Apple Pencil Pro with procreate? I ran to Apple and gave them all my money only to learn that procreate doesn’t yet support those features. (Source)

Users have taken to online forums to express their confusion and disappointment, with some claiming that the Pencil Pro doesn’t work with Procreate at all. Others have reported inconsistent performance, with the Pencil Pro behaving erratically or failing to register inputs accurately.

This issue extends beyond Procreate, with reports suggesting that the majority of apps currently do not support the Pencil Pro. In fact, one user on Reddit claimed that “99% of apps don’t support the new Apple Pencil” yet.

The lack of widespread app compatibility is undoubtedly frustrating for users who rely on specific apps for their creative or professional workflows. It’s a limitation that could potentially undermine the Pencil Pro’s usefulness until developers update their apps to support the new stylus fully. Most popular apps will likely get support for Apple’s new stylus in the following weeks. So keep an eye out for updates for apps that currently don’t support the Pencil Pro.

Despite its advanced features and capabilities, the Apple Pencil Pro is not without its limitations. From limited app compatibility and lack of backward compatibility to the absence of Find My support, these issues could potentially undermine the appeal of Apple’s latest stylus for some users.

It’s essential for you to carefully consider your specific needs and workflows before investing in the Pencil Pro. For those who rely heavily on apps that currently don’t support the new stylus, or for those who were hoping to continue using their existing Apple Pencil with the new iPad Pro, the Pencil Pro’s limitations could be deal-breakers.

Ultimately, the decision to purchase the Apple Pencil Pro will depend on your priorities and willingness to overlook these limitations. As with any new technology, it’s crucial to weigh the pros and cons carefully before making an investment. Just remember, the new stylus won’t work with your old iPad. Similarly, your new iPad won’t support your old Apple Pencil.