Patent Filing Reveals Future Apple Pencil Holder Accessories

A new Apple patent filing published today by the US Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) has revealed a bunch of ideas Apple seems to have for an Apple Pencil accessory for various iPad covers, including the Apple Pro’s Smart Keyboard (via PatentlyApple). One of the references also hints that the company is thinking of an Apple Pencil holder for a future iPhone as well.

The filing details an accessory device suitable for use with an electronic device, such as a smart phone or a tablet computing device. The accessory device may include several features not only designed to provide a protective cover to the electronic device, but also to store an object that may be used with the electronic device.

Apple says that in some embodiments “the accessory device includes a retaining feature arranged to retain an object that can be used to interact with the electronic device. For example, the retaining feature can take the form of a loop feature secured with the accessory device.

The loop feature can further take the form of a closed loop feature formed of a material that defines an interior volume with a cross section having an approximate size and shape of the object. In some cases, the material can be ‘stretchable’ such that the cross section is somewhat smaller than that of the object. In this situation, insertion of the object into the interior volume defined by the loop causes the stretchable material to grasp the object with a retaining force that depends upon the size and shape of the object and elastic properties of the stretchable material.

Apple’s patent application was filed back in Q3 2015. To learn more, click here.