The iPhone probably doesn't use Synaptics' original ClearPad capacitive screen multitouch technology, but maybe Apple will use the ClearPad 3000, since it registers ten fingers simultaneously. I hope they steal this three-finger crumple gesture at least, it's so cool:
The ClearPad 3000 is Synaptics' new top-of-the-line capacitive touchscreen, designed for high-end phones, gaming systems (PSP GoFaster?) and other fancy mobile gear. It has 48 sensing channels, so it'll pick up 10 fingers at once, and it scales up to 8-inch screens with narrower borders than their current ClearPad 2000 touchscreens (which senses two fingers and is used in HTC's Android handsets like the G1, among other phones).
Their other new touchscreen is the ClearPad 1000, a cheap capacitive designed to destroy crappy resistive touchscreens once and for all (read here for the difference between various kinds of touchscreens, though as a shorthand, phones with good touchscreens like the Pre, iPhone, Storm and G1 use capacitive). It only supports one finger, but it's supposed to be more accurate and work better with OLED screens.
Bottom line, touchscreens should get even better over the next year. [Synaptics]