Apple's cocksure attitude has often come back to haunt them, such as its claims that nobody needs or wants a phone screen larger than 4-inches, or that the iPad shouldn't be smaller and that styluses are useless.

But the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) recently accepted a patent from Apple for an 'iPen', described as a "communicating stylus" in Apple's words.

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The stylus has one distinct advantage over other styluses - the iPen can enter data from anywhere. This means the user presses the text box, and can proceed to write an entire essay on a piece of paper, instantly transferring to the device.

The iPen will use some sort of near-field technology, either NFC or Bluetooth, to connect to the device. It will also use magnets to connect to the device, allowing for safe travel.

Apple is apparently working on the iPen for the iPad Pro, the next in the iPad range, set for launch in 2015. The iPad Pro will feature a 12.9-inch display, allowing for even more screen real estate.

Having the extra screen should allow professional apps like Photoshop and Pages to be used more effectively. Apple will add even higher-end specs for the iPad Pro, promoting it to professionals.

The iPen could also be valuable to the education market, especially if a teacher it able to use one iPen and connect it to an entire class of student iPads. Apple has been a patent teaser in the past ten years, and fans have eaten up some of the more outlandish leaks, that turn out to be nothing less than testing patents.

Although the iPen sounds like it could work on the iPad Pro, there is still no confirmation to suggest either of these devices will be commercially available in 2015.

TagsStylus, iPad Pro, Ipad, iPhone