We've come to expect design excellence from Apple – its pristine, elegant white devices are instantly recognisable. But that's not to say it hasn't had its share of design faux pas over the years (we're looking at you, Magic Mouse). And it looks like yesterday's new iPad line-up (check out our iPad generations list for details) announcement brought another eyebrow-raising design decision.
We don't know what it is about Apple and charging processes, but it feels like it's an ongoing struggle to get right. And how you power up an Apple Pencil from the new iPad 2022 is the latest bone of contention for some.
Apple's new iPads comply with upcoming European Union rules that are set to make USB-C mandatory for all devices. However, this means users can no longer simply plug the first gen Apple Pencil into the iPad's Lightning Port to charge. They will need to purchase a USB-C to Apple Pencil adapter.
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But it's not the fact that Apple has chosen to support the 1st gen Pencil with the device, or the small ($9) cost to get an adapter. It is, in fact, the charging process, which is seemingly a world away from Apple's otherwise wireless, clean and minimal aesthetic...
this is right up there with charging the Apple Mouse upside down https://t.co/8KnsjEzNYhOctober 18, 2022
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This looks absolutely ridiculous 😂 https://t.co/YG959jzSmvOctober 18, 2022
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But others have been quick to defend the design...
As much as I don’t like it as a techie, it does allow the customer to re-use their existing Apple Pencil without the need to add $120 to their purchase. It’s customer-friendly.October 18, 2022
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We have to admit, it's not the cleanest of processes, especially when you consider the effortless magnetic style of the Apple Pencil 2. However there's a balance here, and we have to agree with Michael Caputo (above) says. We'd much rather deal with a wire than having to fork out an extra $100 / £100 on a new Apple Pencil. And if we're totally honest, we much prefer this method to plugging the Pencil directly in to the iPad itself. At least with the wire you can position and store both devices more carefully while charging.
Maybe it's because we've have come to expect so much from Apple now, the attention to detail and finery, that makes design decisions like this stand out as being less than perfect. But, for us, it's going to take much more than having to plug a wire in to an iPad to steal the Magic Mouse's crown for Apple's biggest design fail.
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Kerrie Hughes is a frequent contributor to Creative Bloq, and was once its editor. One of the original CB crew, Kerrie joined the team back in 2013 after moving from her role as staff writer on 3D World. Since then she's written regularly for other creative publications such as ImagineFX, Computer Arts and Digital Camera World. After a stint working for the police, Kerrie is back reviewing creative tech for creative professionals.
