UPDATE 11/2: The latest Apple Pencil is now available to purchase online in 33 countries and arrives in stores this week.

Original Story 10/17:The Apple Pencil is the latest product from Cupertino to get a USB-C makeover.

The Apple Pencil (USB-C) edition is also cheaper than its predecessor; it will be $79 when it launches in early November.

The upcoming stylus seems to resolve some of the compatibility problems between the Apple Pencil and the 10th generation iPad, which Apple announced a year ago. At the time, the 10th gen iPad could only be used with an older first-generation Apple Pencil—not the more advanced second-gen model, which features wireless charging. 

(Credit: Apple)

The other problem is that the 10th generation iPad uses a USB-C port while the first-gen Apple Pencil features only a Lightning port. Hence, if you need to charge or pair the Apple Pencil with the iPad, you’d have to use a USB-C to Lightning adapter, resulting in a clunky experience. 

A year later, Cupertino is finally giving consumers a USB-C-compatible Apple Pencil, freeing 10th generation iPad users from the dongle. The new Apple Pencil has most of the same features of the earlier model, but it also adopts a matte finish, which should make it easier to hold. (In contrast, the first-gen Apple Pencil features a glossy, round profile, which can be slippery to use.)

(Credit: Apple)

Another notable change is that the new Apple Pencil, which features a flat side, can magnetically attach to an iPad. Doing so will cause the Apple Pencil to enter a sleep state. 

The new product also supports the Apple Pencil hover feature on iPad Pro models containing the M2 chip. But on the downside, the product explicably drops the pressure sensitivity found in the first-gen and second-gen Apple Pencil. It also doesn't support double-tap to change tools or wireless pairing and charging; it pairs and charges with a USB-C cable.

If those features don't matter to you, though, the new stylus is the most affordable Apple Pencil. The first-gen Apple Pencil retails for $99 while the second-gen goes for $129.