This Little Thing about the Apple Pencil is what makes Apple a Leader in Design
I’m sure most of you would have heard about the new Apple Pencil by now. Unless you have used it before, you might not have known about this beautiful little feature.
Because the Pencil is round-barreled and has no clip on the cap, I was worried that it would roll around (and eventually, off) a table top. But it’s actually weighted inside, sort of like a Weeble Wobble, so unless it’s on a sloped surface, it won’t roll more than an inch or so before settling in place. In hand, I can’t tell that it’s weighted like this.
Most of designers or engineers would have added a clip, cap, or even a little nipple to prevent the pen from rolling off the table. I know I would.
But Apple is not like us. They took the hard route.
They decided it was vital to maintain the purity of the round-barreled body. So they somehow weighted the Pencil internally, and while doing so, they also created a delightful user experience.
The surprise factor (if pleasant) plays a part for sure. If you dig around the Apple Pencil page, you will find no mention of this feature. In fact there is no marketing by Apple on this at all.
This is why Apple will continue to be a leader in Design. And the rest of the world will continue to play catch up. I’m sure in reality the pen may still roll quite a bit, but in this case it’s the thought that counts, and they took the effort to do so.
Quote via: Daring Fireball.
