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Your old $99 Apple Pencil is now junk

If you're already an iPad Pro user that relies on the Apple Pencil and are planning on upgrading to a new iPad Pro, then Apple has a nasty surprise in store for you.
Written by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, Senior Contributing Editor

iPhone

Bought an Apple Pencil to go with your existing iPad Pro? Well, if you're planning on upgrading your tablet, I've got bad news for you: You'll need to buy a new Apple Pencil. And this new one will cost you $30 more than the original.

Must read: iPhone XR: Here's nine things you need to know about Apple's 'affordable' iPhone

Cut a long story short, the old $99 Apple Pencil -- you know, the one that Apple unveiled less than three years ago -- is now junk. If you're buying a third-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro or the 11-inch iPad Pro, then you'll now need the new second-generation Apple Pencil.

And that'll set you back $129.

The new Apple Pencil does correct some of the oddities of the original. For example, the weird Lightning connector used to charge it is out, superseded by the convenience of wireless charging (directly from the iPad Pro, which is nice).

It also adds a magnetic storage feature on the iPad Pro (which also initiates charging), a tap-to-wake feature, and a double-tap gesture to change drawing tools.

If that's worth $129 to you, then cool. (And you do get free laser engraving -- yay! I'm sure that softens the blow, right?). But it is unfortunate for the environment that Apple is seemingly choosing to push more devices into obsolescence.

Apple Pencil (2nd-generation)

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