Hi,
I've got an iPad Pro and was wondering if there was any value in getting an Apple Pencil? I can, to a point, write freehand, but was wondering if any others have found applications for the device. I like to write stories and writing long hand is a good way, for some, of balancing speed and thought... What do you think? Am I just rationalising yet another daft purchase?
O
Comments
Bumping this thread
With writing recognition in IOS 14, does the Apple Pencil become useful to VoiceOver users? Is it compatible?
Underwhelmed
I'm about to purchase an iPad Pro, and the pencil came up as an optional accessory for US$129. Of course I'm researching it on AppleVis first. And I must say I'm underwhelmed by the responses to this thread. LOL.
Maybe that is your answer
Perhaps the lack of responses is indicatative of how many people have tried it or find it useful for Voiceover users.
iPad 9 gen
Got the iPad with 250 GB with WIFI and cell. Need to return the one with just 64 GB and WIFI only I found out that I have 49 GB of music. I did not get the pencil because I did not see how I would use it. Did get an Apple Smart Keyboard and is good. Learning to use it.
For Now, Stay Away From It
Unless ya want to turn Voiceover off while using the pencil, definitely do not bother with it.
I bought one for my lady's IPad, as she wanted to use it with a coloring app. I mean, why wouldn't there be apps for blind folks to draw in?
And you'd think that if Samsung's own S-Pin can work with Talkback (See Cool Blind Tech), why wouldn't Apple's own writing tool not work?
Well, there's always IPad OS 16 which may fix things...
No pencil for me
I passed on the $129 pencil with my iPad Pro order yesterday. This thread, along with others, indicated it had very little value. I'm struggling to understand why even sighted users would buy one, as they can just use their finger.
Maybe some people simply get satisfaction from holding a pencil. Maybe the $129 price adds to the satisfaction. LOL.
Apple accessibility were interested when I asked
I spoke to apple accessibility a few months back and they suggested that people with any ideas on how the apple pencil could be integrated into a voiceover or general accessibility setup should get in contact with them.
I think there could be applications for it. Handwriting is something a lot of blind folk can still do and there is a certain advantage to working ideas more slowly than brain dump. Also, for future pencils, it might be that it could be used like a magic wand for specific remote control, start and stop media, with a double finger tap on the barrel, back and forth through elements on the screen with left and right flicks of the pencil. Apple accessibility seems interested in new means of interaction like on the apple watch with the finger and fist gestures, so it might become relevant in the future.
For now, however, it's just an expensive item. you can use handwriting recognition to a point, but it's very hit and miss. I do hope they get this sorted in the future as it would be nice to handwrite out ideas.
Apple Pencil is not for Voiceover users yet
The main benefit of the pencil is handwriting. It works really well and the conversion to text is excellent. Unfortunately, I've not found a way to use it without disabling Voiceover.
The pencil works with Voiceover but only as a glorified finger. You could buy a cheap stylus for pennies that would do the same.
I'm sure that Apple could easily create a tap or click that would disable Voiceover in text boxes to allow pencil use but until then, it's a waste of money for Voiceover users.
Apple accessibility were…
Apple accessibility were looking into ways of using the Apple Pencil for VoiceOver. I think it would be the third gen pencil, when ever that comes out. A few suggestions I made were handwriting, of course, but also gestures, using it like a wand, for example flicking through items like a conductor in thin air, starting and stopping audio with taps to the barrel, and so on.
If people have any suggestions just drop
accessibility@apple.com
a line. They'd obviously like to sell more units but also, it is another means of input that works for accessibility.
Whether they do get around to it, adding such functionality, who knows. They were certainly looking at it a year or so ago.