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.