Readdle has rolled out a substantial update for its popular PDF Expert application, introducing advanced features that significantly enhance how users interact with handwritten content and digital documents. This update primarily focuses on integrating sophisticated handwriting recognition capabilities and expanding support for the latest Apple Pencil Pro functionalities, aligning with the new operating system enhancements in iOS 27 and iPadOS 27.
A key highlight of this release is the new handwriting recognition feature, which allows the application to index handwritten notes and annotations, making them searchable across a user's entire document library. Furthermore, the update introduces improved Apple Pencil Pro integration, offering a more intuitive and efficient user experience for those working with digital pens. These enhancements are designed to streamline document management and boost productivity for a wide range of users, from students to professionals.
Advanced Handwriting Recognition Transforms Document Interaction
The latest iteration of PDF Expert, designed for iOS 27 and iPadOS 27, introduces a groundbreaking handwriting recognition system. This feature enables the application to convert handwritten notes and annotations into searchable text, fundamentally changing how users interact with their digital documents. Whether notes were originally created within PDF Expert or imported from other applications, the system indexes them, allowing for effortless retrieval of information that users might have jotted down and later forgotten its exact location. This capability extends to a remarkable 29 languages, benefiting from Apple's new PKStrokeRecognizer API, with potential for further expansion as Apple's API evolves. This makes PDF Expert an indispensable tool for anyone who relies on handwritten input for their work or studies.
For premium subscribers, this advanced handwriting recognition and library-wide search functionality offer a seamless experience, transforming handwritten scribbles into fully searchable data. Free users can still leverage the Text tool to convert their handwriting into typed text in real-time, providing a basic yet effective solution for text conversion. The introduction of this feature marks a significant leap forward in digital document management, allowing users to bridge the gap between traditional handwriting and digital searchability. By making handwritten content as accessible and manageable as typed text, PDF Expert substantially improves efficiency and organization, empowering users to quickly locate critical information within their extensive document archives.
Enhanced Apple Pencil Pro Integration and Interface Refinements
Beyond handwriting recognition, the update significantly enhances the user experience for Apple Pencil Pro owners. A notable addition is the support for the Apple Pencil Pro's squeeze gesture, which now provides quick access to PDF Expert's tool palette. This intuitive gesture allows users to swiftly switch between various tools such as pens, markers, highlighters, and shapes, as well as adjust their properties like color, thickness, and opacity. This direct access streamlines the annotation process, minimizing interruptions and enhancing creative flow. Users also gain immediate access to an eraser, undo, and redo functions, making corrections and modifications more efficient. This feature requires a compatible iPad and an Apple Pencil Pro, with options to customize gesture assignments in the device's settings.
In addition to the Apple Pencil Pro enhancements, PDF Expert has refined its visual interface with an expanded "Liquid Glass" look across various sections of the application, including the sidebar, document viewer, and presentation mode. This aesthetic update contributes to a more modern and cohesive user interface. Furthermore, the update introduces dedicated undo and redo buttons directly within the document view, providing immediate access to these essential editing functions. These interface improvements, combined with the advanced Apple Pencil integration, ensure that PDF Expert remains at the forefront of digital document editing, offering a smooth, intuitive, and powerful experience for all users.
