iPad Air 2, ios 12, does it use Apple pencil

The Apple Pencil NOT being able to work with older iPads IS NOT a software issue, it’s a hardware one.

Older iPads lack the additonal screen hardware layer needed for the Apple Pencil to work.

Sorry.

There are other 3rd party smart Bluetooth stylii that will work with the iPad Air 2.

The ONLY third party, smart Bluetooth stylus that I can, honestly, recommend that actually works well with iPads is the Adonit Pixel stylus.

http://www.adonit.net/jot/pixel/

This smart, Bluetooth stylus works across a wide range of iDevices.

The Bluetooth connection is stable and its Bluetooth pressure sensing technology is very smooth, natural feeling and has consistent line drawing ability.

Plus it's a quality made, aluminum stylus with two programmable buttons.

I have been using this stylus for over two years now and it is really good on my iPad Pro.

The Adonit Pixel has ON/OFF/ shortcut buttons.

Has a nice fine, textured pen tip AND a nice rubber grip.

Magnetically charges, has an auto 15 minute shutdown feature ( to preserve battery life ), charges in a hour.

Has both a small USB charger that that plugs into any USB charging block OR you can purchase an optional charging dock.

I find it only lasts from anywhere from 9-12 hours, but Adonit claims up to 16 hours of continuous use on a charge cycle.

Made of very high quality aluminum materials.

Works with about a dozen of the major/popular drawing/sketching/painting apps (the Pixel works with, but currently not “officially” supported with Procreate, but it still works and works pretty well in Procreate ), and about a half dozen of the popular note taking apps, a half dozen writing apps and about a half dozen PDF style/compatible apps.

You WILL have to perform some pairing and setup parameters in each of the Adonit Pixel compatible apps.

You just DO NOT simply turn on Bluetooth on an an iDevice and turn on the Adonit stylus and start writing.

The Adonit Pixel/Pixel Pro stylus is NOT an Apple Pencil in this regard/respect.

You have to initially Bluetooth pair the Adonit Pixel/Pixel Pro, setup the hand/palm position and in many apps, set up the stylus screen pressure sensitivity for each and every compatible app!

Once you have, initially, done all of this, all Adonit Pixel compatible apps will remember these settings for future use!

Some Adonit Pixel users claimed their stylus doesn’t work, but it does work well IF you properly know how to set up the Adonit Pixel!

Here’s my “up to date”, comprehensive, but still incomplete, list of Adonit Pixel/Pixel Pro compatible apps for the iPad/iPad Pro.

All apps listed support pressure sensing and palm rejection.

Animation Desk

Amaziograph

Adobe Photoshop Sketch ( palm rejection ONLY, No pressure sensing/line variations )

ArtRage

Art Studio Pro

AutoDesk SketchBook

Colored Pencil

Comic Draw

Concepts

Interactive SketchBook

Inkist

Medibang Paint

ProCreate ( palm rejection improved using special, non-electrical conducting, lycra-based material drawing glove )

Pixelmator ( used to support Adonit, I have an older version that did, not sure about their latest version )

Tayasui Sketches/Sketches Pro ( the new, free Tayasui Sketches School version works with this stylus, but without any palm rejection or pressure sensing, so you need to use a special, non-electrical conducting drawing glove with the Sketches School version to lay your hand.palm down on the iPad’s screen )

ZenBrush/Zen Brush 2

GoodNotes

Notability ( palm rejection improved using special, non-electrical conducting, lycra-based material drawing glove )

Note Shelf

Notes Plus

Notes Writer

QuickNotes X Pro

uPad

Zoom Notes

PDF Expert

PDF Pen

Foxit PDF

This stylus works with other non-compatible apps, too, but without any palm rejection and/or pressure features.

You can use this stylus with other apps but will not be able to lay your palm on the screen, unless you use special, non-electrical conducting, lycra-based material drawing glove that works by isolating your hand/palm and allow you to lay your hand/palm on the screen as you draw in these non-compatible Adonit stylus apps.

If interested, to make sure you get the latest installed stylus firmware, you must order one of these directly from the Adonit website.

Good Luck to You!

No, the iPad Air 2 does not support the Apple Pencil. The only models that support the pencil are the iPad Pro models the current entry-level (2018) iPad With the A10 processor.