Apple reportedly went as far as prototyping and testing a shorter Apple Pencil for its first foldable iPhone, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. The accessory was designed to attach magnetically to the phone’s side and charge there. Gurman says Apple is unlikely to release it with the phone.
That makes this a report about an internal experiment, not confirmation that the rumored “iPhone Ultra” will support Apple Pencil. Apple has not announced the foldable iPhone or that name. The foldable iPhone rumor roundup still treats the device and its specifications as unconfirmed.
The Pencil was designed around the folded phone
The prototype was reportedly shorter than current iPad Apple Pencils, so it would match the phone’s smaller height when folded. Like recent iPad Pencils, it would use magnets for storage and charging.
The placement created a practical problem. Gurman says keeping the Pencil on the phone’s side made the device harder to hold and could get in the way when opening it. If the Pencil had to come off before you opened the phone, it would get in the way of the foldable’s main gesture.
The inner display was another problem
The report also says Apple worried the Pencil could leave visible marks on the more delicate inner display. That would give Apple a hardware problem to solve before it could turn the prototype into a shipping product.
Apple has not confirmed the testing or explained why the project was shelved. The reported problems should be read as Gurman’s account of Apple’s development work, not as an official product decision.
Apple still lists Pencil support for iPad only
Apple’s current compatibility page lists Apple Pencil Pro, USB-C, second-generation, and first-generation support for iPad models only. The Apple Pencil compatibility guide has the same iPad-focused breakdown.
So buyers should not assume that an existing Apple Pencil will work with the rumored foldable. If Apple ever ships one for the iPhone, the device and iOS would need to support it explicitly.
The September event may come without a Pencil
Apple has confirmed a special event for September 9 at 10 a.m. PT, but its invitation does not identify the products it will show. Gurman says the custom Pencil is unlikely to be announced next month.
Even the phone’s availability is unsettled. Earlier iPhone X-style launch reporting suggested Apple could announce the foldable in September and open preorders later because of production limits.
For now, readers should expect no Apple Pencil support unless Apple says otherwise. A future model could revisit the idea, but this prototype is not a product announcement for September.
