Apple warms chilly iPhone users

2009-01-06 12:06

Cape Town - Apple has filed for a new patent that will warm the hearts (and hands) of many iPhone users currently enduring a cold winter: iPhone gloves.

The electronics giant's US Patent Office application notes that capacitive touchscreens like those on the iPhone and iPod touch are problematic in colder weather, the AppleInsider website reports.

"As they depend on the electrical response from a user's fingertips, which is often blocked off when wearing insulated gloves, the screens either force users to take off their gloves or else sit tight until they return indoors."

According to AppleInsider, Apple's solution would give gloves a second, inner layer beyond the surface that would simulate the electrical feedback of human fingers when exposed to the outside.

"Apertures at each fingertip would let users peel back the outer, more weatherproof layer to leave a finger protected only by the inner layer but capable of using touchscreen devices with roughly the same responsiveness as bare skin.

The technique could use either an elastic ring to open or close the openings on the fly, or could have protective caps instead.

- News24