Synaptics, a leading touchpads manufacturer recently ported multi-touch and gesture-based touchpads to another industry leader Linux. Synaptics claims that this touchpad software is very sophisticated and has compatibility with six major distros. Synaptics also claim that Google, which is an existing Synaptics customer, will use this touchpad for it’s to be launched ChromeOS devices.

Synaptics Gesture Suite is specifically designed for Linux’s touchpad products as well as clickpad products but not for the touch screens. Although gesture-based interface has become as must-have feature in mobile devices. In case a device has a touchpad along or instead of a touchscreen the device has to be smart enough to understand the different types of finger tap commands.

It is great to see Linux devices develop and grow to a point that even companies of the stature of Synaptics is trying to lure them. Linux has done extremely well to have created such a niche market for itself.

Though the current scenario augurs well for this market, there are certain issues that have raised a few eyebrows. Recently Canonical showed all the different ways it was using to try and ensure Ubuntu has compatibility with multi-touch, particularly with touchscreens.

Synaptics has decided to let the OEMs resolve this issue by adding the multi touch. As of it is being offered only to the OEMs and personal computers will not have this option. It has been left at the discretion of OEMs to whether or not to distribute the Linux drivers, according to reports from OS news.