Steve Jobs had a firm belief in simplicity of design, which was one of the reasons why he never liked the idea of a stylus. It was pretty evident, in his 2007 Macworld conference speech, when Jobs kept repeating “Who wants a stylus?”. He dismissed it stating that humans are born with one of the best pointing devices available, referring to our fingers, so why not use it?
However, under Tim Cook’s guidance, Apple has made some drastic changes in the design philosophy of its products. Now, according to KGI Securities, Apple might bring out a stylus accessory for its iPad products, expected to be first introduced with the rumoured 12-inch iPad Pro.
According to KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the stylus will be an optional accessory, as the expensive stylus would drive the base cost of the iPad higher.
Looking at technical details of the stylus, Kuo predicts it will charge via a Lightning connector, believing a more convenient wireless charging solution would also add to the expense. Kuo also believes the initial stylus model will not include a gyroscope accelerometer, but future models could include the component to support ‘3D handwriting’ to allow the user to write on other surfaces or even in air.
There is a big difference between supporting hardware stylus and requiring them to use the product (like Samsung’s Note series.) As an optional accessory, it is pretty clear that Apple’s offering will be more of a niche purchase.
Anyhow, the inclusion of stylus in Apple’s much talked about 12-inch iPad makes sense. Many third-party companies offer rudimentary stylus accessories today, although none seem to have had widespread uptake. An Apple-branded stylus would definitely help adoption, of course.
Watch the full 2007 Macworld Keynote below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7EfxMOElBE
