Apple's haptic stylus from a 2010 patent application.
KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has released another report which outlines his belief that Apple will offer an optional stylus for use with the much-rumored 12.9-inch “iPad Pro.”
Kuo, via MacRumors:
Given that it’s more precise than a person’s fingers, a stylus can be more convenient to use than the combination of keyboard and mouse in some cases. Therefore, we believe Apple’s stylus will improve the user experience of 12.9-inch iPad.
Such an accessory would likely prove popular with enterprise and creative users who may be attracted to a larger-screen iPad.
Kuo says the stylus will be an optional accessory, rather than a standard feature of the new iPad, as the cost of the stylus could drive the base price of the iPad to higher than desirable levels.
“We don’t think all users will need a stylus initially. Coupled with its unfavorable cost structure, high selling prices may turn consumers off if the 12.9-inch iPad is always bundled with it. We therefore expect the stylus to be an optional accessory before sufficient user feedback is received.”
Kuo predicts the stylus would charge via the Lightning connector, and will not initially include a gyroscope accelerometer, but he says future models could include the feature to support “3D handwriting,” allowing the user to write on other surfaces besides the iPad screen.
Kuo says he believes the new stylus will likely launch in the second or third quarter of 2015, the same timeframe he predicted for the launch of the iPad Pro.
