Rumor suggests Apple Pencil 3 could be announced at next week's Apple event

The next Apple Event is taking place on Tuesday and the iPad Pro (2021) series is set to be the center of attention. Now, a new rumor suggests the tablets could be accompanied by an upgraded Apple Pencil.

The Apple Pencil 3 might launch with the new iPad Pro

Weibo account Uncle Pan Pan (via 9to5mac), known for sharing the first images of Apple’s spring collection of iPhone 12 cases earlier this month, says that Apple is preparing to release the third-generation Apple Pencil.

The original Apple Pencil was introduced in March 2015 and the current model made it to market in November 2018. There’s no doubt an upgrade is due, so unveiling the Apple Pencil 3 alongside upgraded iPad Pro models would make a lot of sense.

A purported image of the new Apple Pencil was shared last month and showed a new glossy finish — the current version is matte. A redesigned tip was also visible, although whether this means there’ll be any major functionality changes is unclear.

Possible upgrades include improvements to the precision of the stylus, longer battery life, and even a dedicated color sensor that’d allow iPad users to sample colors from the real world.