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iPhone 11 models won't have support for Apple Pencil, Kuo says

And don't expect support for bilateral charging, the respected Apple analyst reports.

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The Apple Pencil won't work with the iPhone 11, according to a respected Apple analyst.

Sarah Tew/CNET

A day before Apple is expected to unveil new iPhone 11 models, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has published a new report on what you can expect from the latest handsets, including a lack of support for Apple Pencil input. The phones also won't be able to switch to USB-C, according to Kuo's report, a copy of which was obtained by 9to5Mac.

Apple on Tuesday is expected to unveil three new phone models, replacing the iPhone XS, XS Max and XR with the rumored iPhone 11, 11 Max/11 Pro and 11R. Other products and services are also expected to make their debut.

The possibility that the 2019 iPhone would support the Apple Pencil was floated this summer by a bank's research arm, but that's not the case, Kuo wrote. Introduced in 2015, the Apple Pencil is the tech giant's pressure-sensitive tool for creative professionals and can be used for precision drawing, writing, drafting, annotating and editing photos.

Something else you won't see, according to Kuo, is support for bilateral charging he had suggested earlier this year would be in the new iPhone. The feature, which would have allowed you to use your iPhone's battery to share some power with other iPhones or the new AirPods with the wireless charging case, was scrapped earlier this year because the "charging efficiency may not meet Apple's requirements," Kuo wrote.

Kuo wrote that the 5.8-inch and 6.5-inch iPhones will feature an 18W USB-C power adapter, while the 6.1-inch iPhone XR will sport a 5W USB-A charger.

The new models will come in new colors, but that's not going to buoy iPhone sales, Kuo said. The analyst predicts iPhone 11 shipments will decline by 5% to 10% year-over-year due to "a lack of innovative selling points."

Kuo isn't alone in his belief that sales will suffer. Analysts have speculated that the unreleased iPhone 11 will be a disappointment and not attract the buyers Apple is hoping for.

Apple didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

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