Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says Apple is preparing a new series Apple Pencil The stylus accessories will be introduced next year alongside the new iPad Pro models in the spring of 2027.
This would mean new generations Apple Pencil (USB-C) and wireless charging Apple Pencil Pro. Bloomberg suggests that this new stylus may feature new battery systems that are more easily user-replaceable to comply with upcoming EU regulations.
Current Apple Pencils are not actually user modifiable. The battery is charged either via the USB-C port or via the magnetic stylus on the side of the iPad to enable wireless charging. However, if the health of the internal battery deteriorates, it is not really possible to replace the component.
Current Pens are manufactured with a lot of internal adhesive that holds everything together and are not designed to be simply taken apart and put back together.
The EU regulation Bloomberg is referring to is Article 11 of the EU Batteries Regulation, which came into effect in 2023 but cannot be legally enforced until February 2027. The new law requires portable batteries to be easily removable and replaceable by the end user during the product’s lifetime.
Obviously, the law’s first intended target is smartphones (which Apple may already be eligible for due to the availability of its Self Service Repair program). But it does come with a rechargeable stylus, keyboard and mouse, headphones, and more. is more widely applied, including accessories such as
It remains to be seen what changes Apple will have to make to its products to comply. AirPods are a particularly difficult example where there’s no obvious way Apple could produce miniaturized wireless headphones that allow for easy battery replacement. Compare that complexity to the path of the user-replaceable battery inside the Apple Pencil, which feels a little more obvious.
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