When Samsung first released its Galaxy Note device that featured a stylus, some voices commented that the pen was an aging accessory. Nevertheless, the device turned out to become quite popular and many people reconsidered their standpoint regarding the usage of styluses on tablets and related devices. New recently surfaced information, suggests that now Apple wishes to join the stylus party as well.

HotHardware uncovered the fact that Cupertino already filled a patent for a stylus like accessory that has been described as an “active stylus”. From the patent application:

“(The pen) can either act as a drive electrode to create an electric field between the drive electrode and the sense lines of a mutual capacitive touch sensor panel, or as a sense electrode for sensing capacitively coupled signals from one or more stimulated drive rows and columns of the touch sensor panel or both.”

So, basically, HotHardware claims that the pen will work as any normal stylus would but its performance would be a better one because of its more advanced input.

Apple has been known to follow the trends of the markets, so it wouldn’t be so surprising that the company wants to add a line of styluses to its iOS devices. However, the fact that the company has filed a patent doesn’t absolutely mean we will actually see something of it in real life. So, for the time being, we will have to make do with third party styli for our iPads.

Source: TechCrunch

"Who wants a stylus? You have to get them and put them away, and you lose them. Yuck" -Steve Jobs

Originally Posted by CoreDump

"Who wants a stylus? You have to get them and put them away, and you lose them. Yuck" -Steve Jobs

I've never needed Steve Jobs or anyone else to tell me what I need.

I use a stylus when I find one useful.

Steve Jobs was not known for inflexibility. I'm sure that if he was still alive, he would have had ample opportunity to change his mind or explain that statement.

Quoting someone who is in no position to (1) change his mind or (2) see how things have changed that might make a stylus worthwhile, IMNSHO, is a bit low.

Times change and the quote was old. I give Steve Jobs a bit more credit than that.

Marilyn

Originally Posted by Mickey330

Steve Jobs was not known for inflexibility. I'm sure that if he was still alive, he would have had ample opportunity to change his mind or explain that statement.

Quoting someone who is in no position to (1) change his mind or (2) see how things have changed that might make a stylus worthwhile, IMNSHO, is a bit low.

Times change and the quote was old. I give Steve Jobs a bit more credit than that.

Marilyn

+1 for this.

The Archangel

I don't use a stylus very much but there are certain apps or situations where you simply must have one. Like when using a good painting or drawing app.

SJ changed his mind a lot, once he found a reason to. He was right all the time, but we was right enough of the time, especially when it counted.

I use my lenovo X220t convertable laptop because it has a digitizier and pen (properly called a stylus, but that term seems to mostly refer to these fat, rubber (mostly) tipped things now used on capactive screens). I can do finely-detailed writing on the tablet screen and project that image to a large screen that can be viewed by many. I would love to do this on an iPad. The Samsung is the only tablet (not counting the upcoming Windows 8 tabs) that do this....I think iPad needs it. I ruled out the Samsung because of the screen resolution (even though you can't project high-rez images with most projectors).

Likely, if someone can get the total weight down well under 2 lbs, I would get a Win8 tab to do this with. I need a significant weight reduction compared to that Lenovo to justify the expense.