Should Macs get Apple Pencil support?

[Unregistered 4U]

Your cynism is unbelieavable.

It’s easy when I live in the US where a good portion of the country doesn’t even have recycling centers. BUT, they almost ALL have nearby city dumps. Just priorities, I suppose.

All the parts of the stylus are good except for the battery. And yet, I'm forced to throw it all away because of a design decision. But because it's Apple, their decision is automatically good just because it's them who are throwing those device parts away.

No, you’re NOT forced to throw it away. NO one is forcing you to do anything, you just don’t want to recycle (like many in the US) and that’s fine. Apple’s decision isn’t good or bad, it’s just their decision. Folks that feel STRONGLY against their decisions are generally advised not to purchase their products.

But never mind that: if being green is so important in this argument, then why doesn't Apple make their stylus passive?

Being green isn’t important, some do it some don’t. I personally use rechargeable batteries and when they die, I responsibly recycle them. However, I know I’m nowhere near the norm in this. Some people feel that providing the general public MORE things to discard in the lifetime of their devices (plus all the packaging and shipping of those replacement parts) is somehow “environmentally conscious”. I simply disagree.

I’m guessing they don’t make their stylus passive because they know it irritates some people to no end! Apple, in the end, are just trolling.

 

[Joe Dohn]

It’s easy when I live in the US where a good portion of the country doesn’t even have recycling centers. BUT, they almost ALL have nearby city dumps. Just priorities, I suppose.

That's where your assumption goes wrong: you're assuming that everyone lives in places where batteries are properly recycled.

I'm not American to begin with, and there are no proper recycling battery centers here.
Which means batteries CANNOT be properly recycled unless companies pay for them to be disposed far away, which I guess they won't if the legislation doesn't compel them to.

I’m guessing they don’t make their stylus passive because they know it irritates some people to no end! Apple, in the end, are just trolling.

I'm sorry, what?
So that's your answer? The ONLY reason they don't go passive is because they want to troll people?
Please get back when you want to argue more seriously.

 

[chrono1081]

I feel like most people here don't get that "Apple Pencil Support" isn't something you can do in a software update, it's an entire display technology that needs introduced.

 

[Joe Dohn]

I feel like most people here don't get that "Apple Pencil Support" isn't something you can do in a software update, it's an entire display technology that needs introduced.

Of course. But so what?

The SonarPen is passive, doesn't rely on the Wacom technology, and is easily implemented on CURRENT iPads. You don't need a different iPad screen or model to do it. Since it's a third party model, it's not supported system-wide. But Apple could easily achieve that.

Apple knows from the inside out how the iPad works, so they know they have many options to choose from. That's just one among many they could implement.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

That's where your assumption goes wrong: you're assuming that everyone lives in places where batteries are properly recycled.

No, I’m assuming the opposite. Which is why I know that any device that has rechargeable batteries are going to end up in the landfill AFTER several sets of rechargeable go into the landfill ahead of them.

The ONLY reason they don't go passive is because they want to troll people?

No, it’s not the ONLY reason. But, as no one here has insight into “why”, it’s just as valid as “they’re an evil corporation bent on distraction of the world!” Can’t prove either one is invalid.

 

[chrono1081]

Of course. But so what?

The SonarPen is passive, doesn't rely on the Wacom technology, and is easily implemented on CURRENT iPads. You don't need a different iPad screen or model to do it. Since it's a third party model, it's not supported system-wide. But Apple could easily achieve that.

Apple knows from the inside out how the iPad works, so they know they have many options to choose from. That's just one among many they could implement.

SonarPen (and others like it) aren't remotely comparable to Wacom or the Apple Pencil and again requires a dedicated display. This isn't some easy thing to add.

 

[Joe Dohn]

SonarPen (and others like it) aren't remotely comparable to Wacom or the Apple Pencil and again requires a dedicated display. This isn't some easy thing to add.

It doesn't? The SonarPen has a completely diffrent technology from Wacom, and uses sound to detect pressure. Wacom actually uses magnetic induction.

Not only that, but the SonarPen uses the touch screen of the iPad, without any other additional hardware. That's the whole point of it.

 

[chrono1081]

It doesn't? The SonarPen has a completely diffrent technology from Wacom, and uses sound to detect pressure. Wacom actually uses magnetic induction.

Not only that, but the SonarPen uses the touch screen of the iPad, without any other additional hardware. That's the whole point of it.

I know it's different than Wacom and especially Apple Pencil, but SonarPen still isn't remotely comparable and uses one of those huge disks which are terrible for doing artwork. If you just want something to tap and don't care about accuracy, sure, Sonar Pen may work for you but it's not going to work for the people who want to actually draw on their screen and shade on their screen (or use hover) like with what you get with the Apple Pencil.

 

[Joe Dohn]

I know it's different than Wacom and especially Apple Pencil, but SonarPen still isn't remotely comparable and uses one of those huge disks which are terrible for doing artwork. If you just want something to tap and don't care about accuracy, sure, Sonar Pen may work for you but it's not going to work for the people who want to actually draw on their screen and shade on their screen (or use hover) like with what you get with the Apple Pencil.

Dude, you didn't even know how it worked a while ago. How do you keep telling me it isn't even remotely comparable? Have you tested it?

Even if it somehow isn't, I'm pretty sure Apple could refine whatever technology it uses and come up with something more refined, considering they make the iPad and own the source code of iPadOS.

 

[chrono1081]

Dude, you didn't even know how it worked a while ago. How do you keep telling me it isn't even remotely comparable? Have you tested it?

Even if it somehow isn't, I'm pretty sure Apple could refine whatever technology it uses and come up with something more refined, considering they make the iPad and own the source code of iPadOS.

I absolutely do know how all three work, stop making assumptions. Maybe learn how the Apple Pencil works if you think the Sonar pen can somehow compete?

 

[Joe Dohn]

I absolutely do know how all three work, stop making assumptions. Maybe learn how the Apple Pencil works if you think the Sonar pen can somehow compete?

If you did, you wouldn't have said that the SonarPen requires a dedicated display to work (it doesn't), or that it's not accurate (it is). Sure, it's less accurate than the Apple Pencil itself, but it's perfectly workable.

 

[chrono1081]

If you did, you wouldn't have said that the SonarPen requires a dedicated display to work (it doesn't), or that it's not accurate (it is). Sure, it's less accurate than the Apple Pencil itself, but it's perfectly workable.

Nowhere did I say that unless you're misconstruing my earlier comment about needing a touch display on the MacBook Pro, which is absolutely essential if you're going to be drawing on the screen.

 

[Open-Source-Norange]

Honestly, I'm not really down for a MacBook having a display to use the stylus on because the logistics would mean a LOT of reworking the design and where all the components go. Either it would be like a Surface tablet where all the guts and parts are in one place and the keyboard can simply be attached or the tech for the touch screen is in the display part of the MacBook, which would inevitably bulk it up.

I really could not see either option working well, especially with Apple's design standards, and as an artist, I really would not want that. It'd be a pain in the rear to either keep track of a detachable keyboard or have to carry around something as heavy as that. I'd rather stick to my drawing tablet, my iPad, or using Sidecar.