Bebeto Matthews/AP
The Apple Pencil.
- A report from Citi Research lists support for a stylus among the features it expects to see in Apple's 2019 iPhones.
- It's one of the less common rumors that has emerged about Apple's forthcoming smartphones, although it's not the first time it's surfaced.
- The current Apple Pencil that the company sells is only compatible with the company's line of iPads.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
On the heels of Apple's fiscal third quarter earnings report, Citi Research shared a new report outlining its outlook based on the company's results and what it's expecting to see from the next iPhone.
While many of these expectations line up with reports that have emerged so far, Citi highlighted one potential feature that's been largely absent from the iPhone rumor mill: support for the Apple Pencil.
Citi included "support for iPhone pencil/stylus" in the list of features it's expecting to see in Apple's 2019 iPhones. The Apple Pencil was introduced in 2015 alongside the first-generation iPad Pro, and the company currently sells two versions of it. One model is compatible with its newest iPad Pro models, and an older edition also works with other tablets like the new iPad Air and iPad mini and the sixth generation iPad.
It's not the first time a report has suggested that Apple may bring the Apple Pencil to its smartphones, but it's certainly one of the less-circulated rumors. Last August, Taiwan-based publication Economic Daily News reported that Apple would bring Apple Pencil support to its high-end smartphones, which turned out to be untrue.
Apple did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.
Other features that made Citi's list echo reports we've seen about Apple's next iPhones in recent months, such as a bezel-free screen similar to those found on the current lineup, larger batteries, and a triple rear camera on the two more expensive models. The report also notes that the next-generation iPhone could have a 10-megapixel front-facing camera and 14-megapixel rear cameras.
Additionally, Citi expects the pricing of the 2019 iPhones to remain the same, with the successor to the iPhone XS Max costing $1,099, the iPhone XS sequel being priced at $999, and the iPhone XR follow-up starting at $749.
If Apple does bring Apple Pencil support to the iPhone, it would mark a departure in the company's approach. Apple cofounder Steve Jobs famously criticized the smartphone stylus, saying that "nobody wants a stylus."
Apple is expected to launch its new iPhones in September as it has done in years past.