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Apple Secures Patent for Surface-Agnostic Apple Pencil With 3D Tracking

The USPTO award outlines an optical sensor-based stylus that captures motion without touch to extend Pencil use across materials or in mid-air.

Apple patent reveals stylus that draws in air, no screen needed

Overview

  • The USPTO granted U.S. Patent No. 12,353,649 to Apple on July 8, 2025, for an “Input Device With Optical Sensors” detailing a next-generation stylus concept.
  • The patent describes optical flow and laser speckle flow sensors that detect motion, orientation and position in three-dimensional space without screen contact.
  • One embodiment features a trackball tip tracked by internal optical sensors, replacing mechanical encoders for precise displacement measurement.
  • The stylus can operate on non-capacitive surfaces and hover up to 100 mm above a target, enabling mid-air drawing and gesture input.
  • Diagrams illustrate compatibility across iPad, MacBook Pro, iPhone, Apple Watch and spatial headsets, underscoring Apple’s push toward unified input in its device ecosystem.