So its that time of the year again where the tech and the design world is abuzz with a product that is going to change up how things are done. We’re talking about the Apple Pencil here. Not the first product type of its kind, the Apple Pen nonetheless represents a move towards wider adoption of the stylus amongst the design fraternity and causal users alike. Is calligraphy still relevant and making a comeback on tech rigs near you?
Many are saying that the Apple Pencil is the one product that is going to bring calligraphy and lettering via stylus input to the masses, something that Wacom and other stylus makers had a huge barrier to overcome. Here’s what Angel Fischer, Design and Branding Expert said of the same:
I’ll admit I don’t know what tools are already out there because I am not someone who hand draws much. I just know my teenage nieces really struggled with using Wacom tablets with a computer because of the disconnect of not looking at what you’re drawing. So when I saw the Apple Pencil demonstration, it wowed me because I hadn’t seen anything like it.
Apple’s history on stylus-styled products was also called out by Lance Daoust, playfully alluding to the Cupertino-based tech giant’s pricing policy as well:
I’m still struck by the fact that Apple went and created a one hundred dollar pencil, and after Steve mocked the idea saying that we have 10 already (fingers).
Not everybody seems to look at Apple Pencil the same way. Most of the Wacom stylus users like Aleksandar Topolac swear this is more Apple hype and that dedicated enthusiasts have been enjoying unique stylus features for years:
So, I guess you are oblivious to any technology that has been coming out of Wacom for decades then?
Pressure, tilt, low latency…? What about bearing?
Apple Pencil is nothing many designers haven’t been using for ages, being in the form of even the cheapest plain drawing tablet line, not to mention the more advanced Cintiq line… And the Wacom pen doesn’t need to be recharged either.
One thing is for sure. Stylus like Apple Pencil and the Surface Pen are more for just drawing cute little circles for annotation purposes. These high-tech products mark a return to the traditional ways of doing art, where the tip of the pen or paintbrush reigned supreme and unlocked the depth of human imagination. No matter what side of the stylus debate designers sit on, there’s a general consensus that the use of this input device is going to explode in the coming years.
