Apple patent reveals 'iPhone gloves' for warmer hands-on experience

A new Apple patent has been found that will assuredly warms the hearts (and hands) of many iPhone users currently enduring a cold winter. Originally filed a day before the iPhone's June 28, 2007 launch, it details a glove with a thin, electrically conductive, "anti-sticky" inner layer that is able to function with a capacitive touchscreen. It also suggests the glove could have apertures on the fingertips for opening and closing the more protective outer layer. Of course, the concept is far from new -- just do a quick Google search for "iPhone gloves" to see a wide variety of choices -- and Apple doesn't really dabble in this sort of iPhone / iPod accessory, but if Phil keeps his hands in his pockets for the first half of the Macworld keynote, we're gonna start to get ideas.

[Via Apple Insider; thanks, Shawn]

[Jamma @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:24PM]

Made out of a signle sheet of cotton?

[will @ Jan 2nd 2009 4:41PM]

It's the fabric of our lives!

[Knee to the Groin @ Jan 2nd 2009 7:59PM]

Dang, I was hoping Ben Heck had fit an iphone into a glove, screen on the backhand and qwerty rocognition based on finger position!

Oh well, maybe next time...

[techinkdev @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:24PM]

For some reason, i think apple is trying way to hard stuff.. i see no use in these

[linumax @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:34PM]

Maybe you should give a visit to Canada then.

When it's -30c (windchill -45) you really really don't want to take off your gloves to dial a number.

[Ray @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:47PM]

@linumax

Maybe canada should consider a phone that doesnt require you to wear gloves

[Ray @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:51PM]

*require you to take off your gloves... botched joke, i'll low rank my self and see my way to the exit.

[Electromodo @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:54PM]

The use is: some small company in the cold parts of USA (like Syracuse, etc.) starts producing simple gloves with ability to operate the touchscreen. Not only iPhone, just any. If you read the actual patent, it is called "High tactility glove system", not an "iPhone system".

Then Apple lawyers appear from nowhere and sue the heck out of a small business.

As much as I hate evil patent/trademark troll companies that go for individuals or small businesses, I hate the stupid patent system in USA!

Now tell me that Apple lawyers won't do that! They did that all that time!

/gasp/

[techinkdev @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:04PM]

True, Apple is getting evil with all these Patents

[mos @ Jan 2nd 2009 5:02PM]

@Ray

Maybe Apple should develop a touch phone that navigates with any fabrics.

Also, I just hope this trend does not come down to "iPhone undies" (Swipe it real good)

[roach @ Jan 2nd 2009 5:34PM]

@linumax
Maybe you should consider that just because it's -30c where you're at, it's not the same temperature for the rest of Canada. It's 1c and sunny where I'm at in Vancouver. We don't need this glove.

[Dillon @ Jan 2nd 2009 8:37PM]

@ Linumax

Nobody in the Northwest Territories has an iPhone.

[waterboy99troop @ Jan 3rd 2009 3:11PM]

@roach

you just conveniently forgot about the cold snap we had last month, did you?... maybe looking outside and seeing the snow on the ground will remind you of it...

hey, it's snowing outside right now too!...

[Patriks7 @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:25PM]

This has already been done..
http://www.dotsgloves.com/

[Malikye @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:48PM]

It's been done before...

it was called the Nintendo Power Glove

[tom @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:49PM]

I hope those guys have patented their design. It will simply be a winfall if they did. Just imagine keeping 15% of Apple's profit for every pair of glove they sell. WOOOOHOOOOOOO.

Or, those guys will be banging their heads at the wall.

[Bloobie @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:37PM]

Yes, too bad Dots Gloves couldn't supply most of their orders and had to cancel the majority of them. I had the wool ones on order for like 2 months before they offered to cancel and refund my money. I currently use fingerless gloves which allow me to use capacitive touchscreens like those at ATMs and on the iPhone, but I'd rather have my fingers completely covered in this bitter northeast cold. :)

[radia @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:25PM]

My bicycling gloves have leather palms and fingertips and they work with trackpads, I'm not sure if that'd work with an Iphone touchscreen but I'd imagine it would.

[Brad @ Jan 2nd 2009 5:37PM]

Nope. The capacitive touchscreen on the iPhone requires something capable of inducing a change in an electrical current. Leather gloves won't do it.

[doniel @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:25PM]

Is this thing really necessary? I've come to think many of apple's recent inventions sound more like bunch of overkills that are designed for spoiled kids.

[CraigJ @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:09PM]

This would be useful for any screen of this type. As someone said above, when you're outside and it's -5C and you want to use your device, these would be nice. Hopefully they come in other colors besides white...

[konshuss @ Jan 2nd 2009 4:25PM]

i guess if you can stand looking like a corporate-sucking mime so you don't catch a chill on your fingy-wingies. seriously, people are turning into babies about this stuff.

electronics generally aren't even made to operate below 0c, so when you can't make a call i suppose you could wave down a cab with your girlish gloves.

[CraigJ @ Jan 2nd 2009 8:32PM]

electronics not designed to work below freezing? You can't possibly be that dense, can you?

[Sea Urchin @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:27PM]

""anti-sticky" inner layer"---i guess its for single guys.

[Irony @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:40PM]

Or single girls..think about it!

P.S. you think that just because guys aren't single that they lose love for themselves?

[Sea Urchin @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:43PM]

I guess you are right in both cases.

[Al @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:27PM]

Another chance for Apple to rip you off.

[Rekit @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:28PM]

How much do we have to pay for firmware updates?

[Shugg @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:32PM]

ok all bloggers bend over ,time for your yearly check up.

[dale1v @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:32PM]

http://www.engadget.com/2006/01/04/tavo-gloves-for-the-ipod/

o....k....

multiply the price of the gloves in the above link by 2, stick an Apple logo on the top and there you have it! Another quality Apple accessory! -__-

[dale1v @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:35PM]

No. And a [ - ] button for you for contributing 0 on http://www.engadget.com/

[sonicwind @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:36PM]

That's not a glove, IT'S A SEVERED HAND! Apple is going to kill you!

[Jacob @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:45PM]

At first glance, I thought so too.

OMGZ! Apple's gonna cut my finger off!!11!!one11!!!

[Inker�inen @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:38PM]

So, will I be able to control iPhone without touching the touchscreen? Or Apple just starts selling clothes? Either is fanny :)

[coffee @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:25PM]

what happened to voice dial on phones?

[Shugg @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:42PM]

Now would this be considered a smartglove,.? Get it smartphone,iPhone. But wait 3 people in earlier blog said iPhone is no longer a smartphone like glide .

[BlurMagic @ Jan 2nd 2009 6:19PM]

Technically speaking... I believe it would be called the Apple iGlove. But what the hell. iGlove you, uGlove me, we are bunch of sucker consumereessss.

[rTwelve @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:43PM]

That looks like those photoshopped fingers from 4chan... yes, the jawless fish ones.

[mastermikefdny @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:46PM]

I guess apple hasn't heard of the "North face E-Tip Gloves"

[Volker @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:52PM]

How bout... Inventing a damn device that lets you use gloves? huh huh huh? lol. These Apple folk and their silly inventions...

[DirtyVegas @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:54PM]

Are the wrinkles on that thing patented too?

[Rick @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:15PM]

If I pick my nose with one of the gloves will it short out the gizmos?

[VerbCat @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:31PM]

Use a tissue, not your expensive gloves.

[Ian @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:22PM]

Not all touch-screens (and laptop trackpads) have this issue with gloves. If you have a Nokia 5800, you can operate the touchscreen with whatever you're wearing, including any pair of normal gloves. There are probably a few other touchscreen phones where this is possible.

You'd have trouble with mitts, though.

[Phoenix @ Jan 2nd 2009 4:56PM]

ANY resistive touch screen will work with gloves.

this is an area in which capacitive is, unfortunately, behind.

[L3 @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:28PM]

This is where Survival of the Fittest should come into play.

Even I can force myself to wait to play Texas Hold'em on the iPhone until I am in an environment where there IS NO DANGER OF FROSTBITE.

[Dubthezombie @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:30PM]

I see the demand for a product like this from Apple being extremely limited, not only because substitutes already exist but also that the idea simply isn't that good. I expect to see a revision of the ageing Mac Mini to distract customers while Apple expand their phone lineup.

Anyone else so familiar with their iphone OS that they don't need to look at the screen to do simple navigation? On the go I do 90% of my control in my coat pocket.

[will @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:36PM]

This must me the greatest invention since the ice cream glove.

[Larry @ Jan 2nd 2009 4:11PM]

I swear, some one always beats me to this stuff. Anyway, here's the YouTube link to Ali G's Ice Cream Glove:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkuOuxRD1Bc

[Jonathan-DBOSS @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:42PM]

[insert winter/sex joke]