New touchscreen technology opens door for Apple iPhone tablet

Bigger screens and more multi-touch

22 July 2009 14:00 GMT / By Stuart Miles

The currently popular netbook might have to make way for small, portable touch tablet PCs following the news that one of the biggest names in the industry has announced an 8-inch touchscreen suitable for such devices.

Synaptics, one of the largest touchscreen makers in the industry, has announced its latest touchscreen technology offering, ClearPad 3000, promising 10-finger multi-touch support to device makers across the world, in addition to support for a much larger screen than they are used to.

Although the company's technology strategist Andrew Hsu refused to be drawn on which companies would be taking the new technology in an interview with Pocket-lint, the move opens up the possibility of a giant iPhone like device for surfing the Internet or playing games.

However, before gadget fans try to put one and one together to make four over rumours of an Apple iPhone touchscreen-focused styled netbook, Hsu says that he isn't expecting the technology to be seen in a device just yet.

"It would still be very expensive to create a device with an 8-inch touchscreen," Hsu confirmed.

We will keep you posted.