The big push from Apple’s iPhone is the multi-touch capability of the screen where multiple activities can take place simultaneously. Well, Synaptics released ClearPad back in August ’06 stating just that. ClearPad is based on Synaptics’ proprietary sensing technology and offers unique capabilities like multi-finger input, proximity sensing, text entry and high resolution finger input.
Enabled through Synaptics clear, capacitive sensing technology Onyx, here, displays the future of mobile technology. ClearPad is a thin solid state film that can be curved and mounted beneath plastics offering mobile designers (Apple) the ability to create sleek and stylized industrial designs. More photos

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Although speculation, the time line between Synaptics phone concept and Apple’s iPhone does make one wonder.
Source: Synaptics
