Apple Pencil's new pencil simulates on-screen textures through haptic feedback.

A recent filing with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office reveals that Apple is developing a tablet stylus capable of simulating the texture of graphics on the screen as it moves across the surface. The new design aims to implement haptic feedback, which allows for the simulation of surface textures.

The pen-shaped device will have a kind of electronic needle that will allow it to detect contact with a touch surface. It will also gather information about the texture being viewed and provide a vibrating output (feedback) in response. This allows the pen to distinguish between a touch surface and a different type of surface (thanks to photodiode sensors), such as paper or a table. The pen contains contact and capacitive sensors, as well as pressure sensors and cameras.

Tablets will show Apple Pencil feedback through sounds, movements, or other means

Once surface recognition is complete, the stylus can communicate—via a host device—using Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. After identifying the texture, the touch will activate the haptic feedback mechanism, which essentially replicates the corresponding sensation through vibrations, auditory signals, or other means sent directly to the user.

Furthermore, the feedback on much rougher textures will make the device's vibrations even more consistent – ​​as they will indicate that the stylus is being used on a non-touch surface . So, if the user wants more dramatic feedback, they simply need to move the stylus over any surface. Apple is looking to refine this project so that the stylus takes haptic feedback technology to another level, enabling it to send feedback not only when the surface changes, but also when more pressure is applied, or when the angle or orientation changes.

For now, they are considering including the pencil when the new 12.9-inch iPad model is released later this year.