Apple's late co-founder Steve Jobs had always disdained the use of stylus on iDevices. Reports indicate that Apple has filed a new patent application dubbed as "Active Stylus" which is a stylus, fitted with an electrode at the tip that can interact with a touch screen device allowing users to tap on menus, buttons, and text fields on a touch capacitive gadget.

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The patent application does not mention Apple's name; however, Patently Apple reports that the applicants Jonah Harley and David Simon are both engineering managers at the company.

Patently Apple further reports that businesses often allow its engineers to be listed as the inventors of the patent until just before a patent is granted, and then the company adds its name. The late introduction of the company's name on the patent allows it to keep it away from the prying eyes of rivals for a longer time.

"Apple's invention introduces various active styluses that can be free of some or all of the shortcomings of conventional passive styluses and can provide improved stylus sensing in a mutual capacitive touch system. An active stylus as discussed in Apple's invention can act as a drive electrode, sense electrode, or both in a mutual capacitive touch system," reported Patently Apple.

At the launch of iPhone in 2007, Steve Jobs said "Who wants a stylus? You have to get 'em, put 'em away, you lose 'em. Yech! Nobody wants a stylus. So let's not use a stylus." Furthermore, per Jobs' biography by Walter Isaacson, he used to say, "God gave us 10 styluses-let's not invent another."

Previously, Jobs also said that he was not interested in a 7-inch tablet, but October 2012 was the debut of the 7.9-inch iPad mini, which has become the company's hottest selling iPad. Similarly, it may not come as a surprise if Apple launches a stylus for either its iPhone or iPad in the future.

Even though Apple has filed a patent application for a stylus, it's not clear if the company plans to equip its future iDevices with a stylus. The question remains, do iFans want an iPhone or iPad with stylus support?

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