Hitachi Displays out of Japan have been working on a new type of capacitive display technology that Apple could use in the next-generation iPhone 5 coming in 2011 that allows for interacting with the screen without direct skin contact, such as when using the device with gloves. From Patently Apple:

The new touch panel is still a projection design, but could be operated even while wearing gloves. The new panels range from 3 to 10 inches in size, covering Apple’s current lines of iOS based devices. Considering that Apple is a pioneering leader in this field, we’re likely to see this technology come to iOS based devices in the coming years.

This is a really neat idea. I can’t tell you the number of times during the winter months when I’d appreciate such a technology as this (as opposed to spending $20+ on a pair of special “iPhone gloves”, pictured above). This would also be great for using a non-iPhone specific stylus if you’re still into using technology dating back to the late 90′s.

How about you, would you be happy seeing this integrated into future iPhone or iPad displays, or would you not notice the added value? Let us know what you think in the comments!

[Patently Apple]

Live from Macworld 2010, Rene and Leanna talk to Jerry Leto, inventor of the TouchTec nanotechnology that builds capacitance into the iTouch Gloves‘ leather starting at the tanning process. This means you can use them to control your iPhone, iPod touch, and soon your iPad without having to take them off. It also means you don’t need to sew in extra string or metal or make the finger tips removable or anything else. It works right through the leather.

Watch along after the break and let us know what you think!

We have to wonder if Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has some insidious plot to make his PR people pull their hair out, so they’ll look just as Fester’ian as he himself. Or maybe he’s just jealous of the love TiPb’s been giving Palm’s Roger McNamee lately? How else can you account for the glorious (for bloggers!) content he keeps spewing in our general direction?

What now? From the man who once said the iPhone would be the most expensive phone on the planet (guess he didn’t see the Windows Mobile Xperia X1a going for $800…), now comes the following, courtesy of WMExperts:

“Windows Mobile 6.5 has touch on it. The way Apple does touch drives cost. [The] way they do it on the iPhone is not an inexpensive component. We’ll do it in a way that you can afford to do it on most phones.”

Bu-bu-bu-but…! We thought WinPho was all about choice? Shouldn’t manufacturers like HTC, who’ve made capacitive touch screen devices like the Android G1 (which is hardly that expensive!) have the choice to offer WinPho devices with capacitive touch?

So not only does Ballmer try to spin Microsoft’s abject failure to deliver on capacitive touch 2 years after Apple (and months after Android and even BlackBerry) as a cost saving feature, but for extra bonus bluster, claims Apple is “driving cost” on the $199 iPhone?

Next time, stick to dancing…

What makes capacitive touch displays so responsive is what makes them so unfriendly to hostile environments: they need skin-to-screen contact. Well, technically, they need the electric field around skin, and yet another Apple patent makes it seem like the iPhone team is figuring out a way for us to stay warm and still enjoy the multi-touch lifestyle. Says Apple Insider:

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.

It’s freezing cold outside as I write this. Face hurting, lung searing, -17c, colder with the wind-chill coldy cold cold outside. So cold, in fact, that the thought of pulling off a downy mitten to “swipe my iPhone” has me cursing at the mere thought of a call. So, add a steaming mug of hot cocoa (the beverage, not the programming language!) and I’m sold. How about you, any other frozen iPhone users want to get your iGloves on?