India, July 10 -- Apple's latest patent hints at a future where the Apple Pencil might finally break free from the screen. Instead of being tied to an iPad or a tablet surface, this next-gen stylus could let you sketch in mid-air or on just about any surface you find - your desk, a notebook, even a wall. The idea is simple but ambitious - make the Apple Pencil as versatile as a real pen but smarter.

The patent, first reported byPatently Apple, describes a stylus packed with optical sensors that can track its movement, tilt and position in three-dimensional space. These sensors are similar to what you'd find in an optical mouse, picking up subtle shifts in light as you move the stylus above or across a surface. Apple's documentation sugge...