Apple is expected to launch a next-generation Apple Pencil lineup alongside a new iPad Pro in spring 2027.

On July 12, foreign media including IT outlet 9to5Mac reported that Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple is developing a new range of Apple Pencil accessories and that some models may include a battery system that users can replace more easily.

The products mentioned are next-generation versions of the Apple Pencil USB-C model and the Apple Pencil Pro, which supports wireless charging. The key is a change in battery design. Current Apple Pencils charge via a USB-C port or by attaching magnetically to the side of an iPad for wireless charging, but users effectively cannot replace the internal battery even when its performance declines.

Current models are not designed for disassembly and reassembly because internal components are firmly fixed with adhesive. As a result, battery life directly affects usability, but the products do not support an approach in which users can easily replace only the battery. If new models shift toward improving battery accessibility, the Apple Pencil's product life and repair methods could also change.

Behind the possible change is a European Union battery regulation. Gurman said a new stylus could adopt a new battery system, and that this could be intended to make the battery easier to replace to meet upcoming EU rules. The rule is Article 11 of the EU Battery Regulation that took effect in 2023, with legal application beginning in February 2027.

The article requires that portable batteries be easily removable and replaceable by end users over a product's lifetime. Smartphones are discussed as the first target of the rules, but the scope is broader. It includes accessories such as rechargeable styluses, keyboards, mice and headphones. The Apple Pencil is a representative case that falls into this category.

It has not been confirmed how far Apple will actually change product designs. The level of difficulty may differ by product line. For ultra-compact devices such as wireless earbuds, there is no clear method to design them so that batteries can be easily replaced, but observers say the Apple Pencil has relatively greater potential for design changes. AirPods are cited as a particularly difficult case, and some assessments say the route to putting a user-replaceable battery inside the Apple Pencil seems "more obvious" than that.

For Apple, a key question is how far hardware design adjustments to meet European regulations will extend beyond a simple accessory update. With the rules taking effect from February 2027, a new Apple Pencil discussed for a spring 2027 launch could become one of the first cases to gauge Apple's approach. As a result, the next-generation Apple Pencil is expected to draw attention more for changes in battery and repair design than for feature improvements.