We're big fans of the Apple Pencil as a drawing tool, with various generations of the pen taking the top four spots in our picks for the best iPad styluses. But can the Apple Pencil do more than that? A new free iPad app developer thinks so, hinting at a potential new feature that Apple should have considered itself.
Starlight Apps' iPad OS camera app, Pencilera, turns your Apple Pencil 2 or the new Apple Pencil Pro into a convenient wireless remote control for your Apple tablet. As shown in the video below, a double-tap or squeeze of the stylus will launch the tablet's camera.
Introducing Pencilera | Use your Apple Pencil as a camera remote – YouTube
Watch now
This feature only works with Apple Pencil 2 and Pro, which have the required double-tap or squeeze functionality (see our full Apple Pencil comparison for more details on each stylus). The developers say they were inspired to create the app after finding it tedious to set a timer to take a photo. “If you get the first one wrong, you have to start over,” they say. “We realized that most iPad users already have great tools that support gestures, so we took the opportunity to create an app that leverages the power of Apple Pencil.”
This app looks like a useful tool that will make taking photos much easier when you don't have your iPad with you, and it makes you wonder why Apple didn't think to make this a system feature so that a third-party app wouldn't be required.
Pencilera is available in the Apple App Store. If you haven't bought an Apple Pencil yet, check out our picks for the best apps for iPad Pro for more options, and see the current price in your area below.
Receive daily design news, reviews, how-tos and more chosen by our editors.