The Apple Pencil may be getting some really cool upgrades in the future. According to the United States Trademark and Patent Office (USPTO), Apple has received a patent for a stylus with a built-in camera and more.
The patent description said the stylus will have a touch-sensitive area with support for gestures such as taps, rotations, and swipes or a combination of gestures. This version of the Apple Pencil will also be able to distinguish between a user simply holding it or performing an actual gesture. The current Apple Pencil allows you to switch between tools such as a pen and an eraser by double-tapping the side of the stylus.
The patent also states that the stylus may also be able to detect biological characteristics of the user such as heart rate, respiration rate, blood pressure, and skin temperature, etc.
One other patent listed mentions a version of the Apple with a built-in camera. The camera will be able to capture the physical characteristics of a surface and visually reproduce it on the screen of the iPad.
Another patent has a haptic feedback feature that replicates the feeling of drawing on paper while another mentions the stylus having a fingerprint scanner so that it can be used to unlock the iPad and also to carry out payments.
It is not yet known which of these features will eventually make it to a commercial product. However, we have a feeling the new gestures may come with the Apple Pencil that will launch with the upcoming iPad Pro. Renders of the upcoming tablet leaked a few weeks ago and they revealed the next-gen iPad will have triple rear cameras.
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