Apple’s first foldable iPhone could blur the line between iPhone and iPad in more ways than its larger folding display, with a last-minute report claiming the device will support Apple Pencil.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman now expects the foldable iPhone Duo to work with Apple’s stylus, according to MacRumors. If confirmed, it would mark the first time Apple has brought Apple Pencil compatibility to an iPhone.
The development is particularly interesting because Apple has reportedly experimented with a special, shorter Apple Pencil designed specifically for its foldable. Earlier reporting suggested that prototype could magnetically attach to the side of the device for charging, although Gurman subsequently indicated Apple was unlikely to release that particular accessory.
His latest report refers more broadly to Apple Pencil support without identifying a dedicated new stylus. That leaves open the possibility that the iPhone Duo could instead work with an existing Apple Pencil model or another accessory Apple has yet to reveal.
Stylus support would make considerably more sense on the Duo than on a conventional iPhone. The device is expected to unfold into a display measuring roughly 7.8 inches, creating a tablet-like workspace suitable for handwriting, drawing, document annotation and other tasks traditionally associated with the iPad.
The feature could also complement the iPad-style multitasking capabilities reportedly coming to the foldable. Apple is expected to reveal the iPhone Duo during today’s “Surprise and shine” event, although availability is reportedly not planned until at least October.