Apple has brought a refreshing breath of air to its iPad lineup, bringing its entry-level tablet in harmony with its premium models. The 2022 iPadIt features the familiar design language of the iPad Pro and iPad Air. You can also use the USB-C connector from these models. It’s even available in some fun new colors.
Unfortunately, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows with the newest iPad of the 10th generation. While it gains some nice improvements beyond the design, including an upgrade to the A14 chip found in the iPhone 12, a better 12-megapixel (MP) camera, and 5G connectivity, it’s oddly been left behind when it comes to the Apple Pencil — despite selling for $120 more than its predecessor.
Can I use my 2022 iPad as an Apple Pencil device?
Apple’s entire tablet lineup has offered support for the Apple PencilSince the Sixth-generation iPadIn 2018, more than 2,000 people joined the party. This year’s iPad is no exception. What’s unusual about the 2022 iPad is that it seems stuck in the past when it comes to Apple’s stylus.
The new entry-level iPad supports only the following features: first-generation Apple Pencil. That’s the stylus Apple introduced with the original 12.9-inch iPad Pro in 2015, which was supplanted in the iPad Pro lineup by a second-generation Apple Pencil2018
When the iPad Air iPad MiniA similar design was adopted in 2020 and 2021 by Apple. They also received support for the second-generation Apple Pencil. Apple’s strategy appearedIt is clear that traditional iPads used a first-generation Apple Pencil while modern iPads used a second-generation stylus.
It was a nice theory, but now it appears that wasn’t the playbook Apple was following. The design of the 2022 iPad is very similar to that of the iPad AirAlthough it was released earlier in the year, it doesn’t support the Apple Pencil like the premium model.
That may be good news for some folks considering an upgrade from an older iPad as it means they won’t have to replace their Apple Pencil. Further, since the first-generation Apple Pencil is $30 cheaper than the second-generation model, it also fits in with the more wallet-friendly pricing of Apple’s more affordable iPads.
How can I charge my Apple Pencil for my iPad 2022?
The new iPad owners will be missing out on two of Apple Pencil’s best features: wireless charging, and convenient storage.
The original Apple Pencil was wired charged, and power was transferred to one end using a Lightning connector. Users could plug the stylus into the iPad’s Lightning port for quick top-ups or use the included female-to-female Lightning adapter to connect to a standard USB-to-Lightning cable and charger.
Apple’s second-generation Apple Pencil was introduced alongside the iPad Pro with flat edges, and a magnetic dock. This was the spot where the new Apple Pencil magnetically snapped to, and it also transferred charging power automatically as soon it was in place.
The reason the Apple Pencil was not available in the older iPad models was that they didn’t have a way to charge it. The design of these older iPads didn’t lend itself to this magnetic charging as there was no place to dock the Apple Pencil on the tapered edges. Apple’s new flat-edged iPad Air was introduced to iPad Mini and iPad Mini. The magnetic charger is compatible with both models.
The 2022 iPad does not have the same flat edges as the previous iPads. Apple hasn’t included a magnetic charger in this model, so it’s not compatible with the newer Apple Pencil. Granted, the new landscape camera position occupies the spot where the magnetic charger lives on Apple’s other iPads, but that doesn’t mean Apple couldn’t have found somewhere else to charge its newer stylus.
Instead, the 2022 iPad is still the only Apple tablet at the moment doesn’tSupport the second-generation Apple Pencil. This means those who want to use a stylus with this iPad will still need to charge it the old-fashioned way — either from an external charger or from the port on the bottom of the iPad.
This is made even more difficult by the switch to USB-C. iPad owners will have no choice but to use the Lightning connector for their first-gen Apple Pencil. if they want to top-up their stylus from their iPad’s charger.
It was absurd, but you could connect the original Apple Pencil directly to the bottom of an iPad with Lightning ports. To do the same thing on the USB C-equipped 2022 iPad, you will need a dongle or cable to connect the Lightning port of your stylus to the USB-C port.
Specifically, you’ll need the aforementioned USB-C to Apple Pencil adapter, a $9 dongle with a female USB-C port on one end and a female Lightning port on the other. Apple now includes this in the box with new first-generation Apple Pencils, but you’ll have to shell out for one separately if you already own the stylus from a prior iPad model. You’ll then need to couple this dongle with the USB-C to USB-C cable that comes with the iPad.
You don’t need to charge the Apple Pencil directly from the iPad, so if you already own one — and haven’t lost the tiny Lightning charging dongle that came with it — you can plug it into a standard Lightning cable and USB power adapter. The original dongle can be used with a USB C-to Lightning cable (like the one included with the modern iPhones) to charge the 2022 iPad.
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