ipad 10th and apple pencil

The new iPad10 supports the first generation pencil - which is charged and paired via the iPad10’s USB-C port and USB-C to Lightning adapter. The iPad10 does not support the second generation Pencil.

The first and second generation Pencil use an entirely different pairing and charging interface. 

The second generation Pencil can only be used with iPad models that have the magnetic/inductive dock that is exclusively designed for this Pencil. Charging and pairing is controlled via the iPad magnetic dock. The iPad10 is not equipped with the pencil-specific magnetic charging dock.

The iPad10’s camera has been relocated from the short-edge of the iPad screen (the top edge when viewed in Portrait screen orientation) to the centre of the long-edge of the iPad screen (this being the top edge of the screen in Landscape orientation). Relocation of the Camera module has packaging implications…

The iPad10 Camera module now occupies the physical space, within the iPad chassis, that would otherwise accommodate the inductive charging/pairing system used by the second generation Pencil.

The other long edge of the iPad10 is also unavailable - as the the proprietary three-pin Smart Connector, required for connection of the matching iPad folio keyboard, occupies this edge.

For these packaging reasons, the iPad10 physical design cannot accommodate the second generation Pencil - and instead uses the first generation Pencil.

I hope this explanation proves to be helpful in understanding the design changes within - and physical limitations of - the new iPad10.

Because this is what Apple did!

We are all, mainly, other Apple product users here.

Other than the Apple community moderating team, no Apple employees or teams participate in the Apple user communities

No one here would have a clue why Apple does what it does.

It is what it is.

The 10th iPad is just stripped down 4th/5th gen iPad Air model that still has a non-laminated display, uses a cheaper in price Apple folio keyboard setup and still uses the old, original ( and, also, cheaper ) 1st gen Apple Pencil.

Also, this new 10th gen iPad is, now $120 U.S.D. more for a 64 GBs model and the pricing goes up from there.

Again, it is what it is.. Nothing to be done about this.

My recommendation would be to forget buying any of Apple's new iPad offerings and look to an older, refurbished iPad Air 4th or 5th gen model as these will only be, marginally, more expensive than the 10th gen iPad, you'll get Apple Pencil 2nd gen support, a laminated display AND a M1 CPU that will support the up and coming iPadOS 16 Stage Manager ( multi floating app windowing ) feature.

Look at refurbished iPad models from either Apple or even Amazon (where pricing maybe even cheaper ).

OR

Look at refurbished 2018-2021 iPad Pro models from Apple or Amazon.

Best of Luck to You!

Apple has not said why the new iPad does not work with 2nd gen pencil. That is all we know. Apple frequently does not give reasons why or why not.