According to a new patent application, the next-gen Apple Pencil could have technology that allows the device to sample colors from the real world and use them in drawings, digital art, edits, and more.
The application, titled “Computer System With Color Sampling Stylus” was published by the U.S Patent and Trademark Office this week.
Color sensors in the new Apple Pencil
The application describes the new Apple Pencil to be equipped with several photodetectors for measuring light and sensing different color channels and detecting colors off of real-world objects like flowers, landscapes, and more.
According to the rest of the application, the pencil will have an elongated body, a tip, with a touch-sensitive display. The new color sensor could be located at the end of the tip with a light guide. The stylus might also be equipped with a light to make the detection process easier.
The colors detected by the pencil will be added in a color palette in a drawing program. The sensor could also be used for calibrating displays, printers, making health-related measurements, and to identify different paint colors for home projects, making the Apple Pencil a versatile tool for its users.
The company has been making frequent improvements in its operating system for better Apple Pencil support. Safari will be getting Apple Pencil support for users to draw in the web browser. The update will arrive with the upcoming iOS 14 this fall. On the other hand, the Apple Pencil is one of the iPad’s vital accessories, users by artists for editing, digital art, drawing, and more.
Apple applies for several patent applications, some of which are very plausible to implement in its products. There is no word on whether the Pencil will actually add a color sensor. Users will just have to wait and see when Apple decides to release the next generation pencil.
