A refreshed Apple Pencil model will be announced this month, according to a rumor shared on Chinese social media.
The rumor comes from Weibo user "Instant Digital," who notes that after over five years without an update, Apple finally plans to refresh the second-generation Apple Pencil this month. This corroborates Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman's recent claim that new Apple Pencils are on the way "in the next several weeks."
There is a limited amount of information about what an updated Apple Pencil might feature, but there have been rumors about magnetically interchangeable tips, color sampling capabilities, and a shorter design with a glossy finish.
Apple's next-generation iPad Pro models with OLED displays are widely rumored to launch this month, so it would make sense for a new Apple Pencil to arrive alongside them. The company is also expected to introduce a redesigned Magic Keyboard accessory, so it seems that both of the iPad's accessories may be refreshed simultaneously.
Instant Digital has a mixed track record in terms of revealing accurate information about Apple's plans, but its claims are worth paying attention to. The source was first to report the iPhone 14's Yellow spring refresh, Spatial Video capture on the iPhone 15 Pro, and the Apple Watch Series 9's minor hardware update, as well as being the only source of the only rumor claiming that the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus would feature frosted back glass. However, they also made claims about several iOS 17 features and the release of a new iPad Air in October 2023 that did not pan out.
