But Apple's patent isn't as absurd as it sounds. In fact, it's very common for companies to patent their iconic product designs. Coca-Cola has a patent for its Coke bottle, for example.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office just granted Apple U.S. Patent No. 12,353,649, suggesting the company is thinking well beyond the iPad when it comes to the future of the Apple Pencil.

Elsewhere, the patent discusses combining the optical sensor tech with other sensors like inertial measurement units, force detectors and machine vision, which could potentially mean the Apple ...

The patent's illustrations depict the stylus in use with a variety of Apple products, including the iPad, ‌MacBook Pro‌, ‌iPhone‌, and Apple Watch.