Apple's New Apple Pencil becomes more wallet-friendly and practical with USB-C support, according to a report by Taylor Lyles for IGN. The newly announced Apple Pencil retails at $79, a significant $50 cut from the cost of the second-generation Apple Pencil. However, the lower-priced accessory misses out on several features supported by the first and/or second-generation Apple Pencil, most notably pressure sensitivity, wireless pairing, and charging. Instead, it contains a sliding cap at one end that reveals a USB-C port for charging.

Lyles notes that this announcement has been a long time coming considering the push towards USB-C in Apple's recent line of products. The iPad Air, Mini, and even the entry-level iPad have all shifted to the USB-C port, following the adaptation initiated by the third-generation iPad Pro in 2018. It's been a month since Apple shared their plan to ditch the Lightning port in favor of USB-C charging, starting with the iPhone 15, although numerous other Apple accessories, including the Magic Mouse, Magic Keyboard, basic AirPods, and high-end AirPods Max, still use the Lightning port for charging.

This USB-C Apple Pencil is compatible with iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2018 and newer versions), iPad Pro 11-inch (2018 and newer versions), iPad Air (2020 and newer versions), iPad (2022 model only), and iPad Mini (2021 only). The product will be available for orders from early November.n