Among the numerous features that Apple is set to reveal for iPadOS 26 at WWDC next week, one intriguing addition catches the eye: Apple Pencil reed calligraphy, as noted by Bloomberg. But what does it realmente mean?
Last year, Apple launched the Apple Pencil Pro, debuting squeeze gestures, barrel roll detection, and haptic feedback to its stylus collection for the first time. Now, with iPadOS 26, it’s combining those hardware enhancements with a fresh software feature that’s sure to appeal to Arabic users and calligraphy lovers across the globe.
A few weeks prior, Mark Gurman shared in his Power On newsletter that Apple had “been increasing its retail presence” in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and India, and that Apple was poised to unveil two features that would delight users in these areas:
“One is a highly sophisticated bi-directional keyboard for transitioning between Arabic and English. The other is a virtual reed calligraphy pen for Apple Pencil users.”
The first is quite straightforward, but the second surprised many Western users, particularly those unfamiliar with calligraphy.
An Arabic reed pen, or qalam, is a classic writing instrument used in Islamic calligraphy, renowned for its ability to produce elegant, flowing strokes with varying thickness.
And while the Apple Pencil has featured pressure sensitivity from the beginning, it has never previously provided a virtual brush that genuinely replicates the writing flow of a traditional qalam, until now.
If Apple gets the simulation right, this new brush will emulate the thick-and-thin strokes distinctive of Arabic calligraphy, broadening the Apple Pencil’s versatility to encompass a significantly wider cultural and artistic range.
This angled-cut design is also widely embraced by calligraphy enthusiasts, facilitating the bold, expressive letterforms that give many scripts their unique visual rhythm.
It remains uncertain whether this new virtual brush will be limited to the Apple Pencil Pro, or if it will also be available on other models. But with WWDC imminent, we will soon find out.
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