The inclusion of Apple Pencil support for iPhone Duo was a welcoming bonus for those eyeing Apple’s first foldable phone. However, it could have been even better news if Apple had followed through on rumoured plans for a more portable accessory.
In the months leading up to the iPhone Duo launch, Bloomberg’s Marl Gurman reported that Apple had been working on a smaller Apple Pencil more easily transportable with the phone. Ultimately, that did not come to pass. And now Gurman is reporting why. In his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman’s sources say Apple encountered too many technical challenges to get the dedicated stylus.
Because the fallback plan was to integrate support for the most recent USB-C Apple Pencil model, Apple is still working on the integration, and support will be added in a future software update.
Gurman reports:
Getting the iPad Pencils to work on the iPhone Duo isn’t as simple as hitting a button to enable support. Apple has to roll out new software to make them compatible and run loads of internal tests. That process is now underway within Apple, with the company — as it said during the Duo unveiling — believing that support will be ready by the end of the year. I would take that literally: It will be fairly late in 2026.
It’s not clear whether Apple will revisit the plans to launch a dedicated Apple Pencil at a later date. Gurman doesn’t mention the issues Apple encountered with building one in the first place. Perhaps we’ll see the smaller Apple Pencil arrive for the next-generation iPhone Duo.
Regardless, the current Apple Pencil works with both the cover screen and the iPad-like inner screen, which will be great for drawing, painting, and handwriting. We’re excited to see how it all comes together by the end of the year.
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