Phablet finger goes on sale

It may be one of the oddest phone accessories ever made. But with the growing trend towards big screen phones, this fake finger could be a lifesaver for those with small hands. The $14.50 (Rs 850) finger has just gone on sale in Japan, and can extend a users thumb by 15mm. It measures 49mm long by 25mm wide, and the internal width is 20mm according to Ratoken, which is selling the gadget.

Inside is a stylus so the finger will work on any touchscreen. The gadget comes as makers are increasingly moving towards larger phones. In September Apple is expected to release a new, bugger version of the iPhone, with two models - a 4.7inch screen and 5.5inch screen version rumoured. The rumours come amid claims Apple suppliers around the world are gearing up to produce the larger screens.

Japan Display, Sharp, and South Korea's LG Display have all been tapped to make the panels, and its thought they have already begun mass production. The thumb-stylus went through a lot of rigorous testing and changes to the shape, size, and positioning, until they came up with this one, according to Ratoken. At one point they thought they almost had it, but it looked too much like a zombie finger – they'd been so concerned with how it worked, that they'd forgotten to think about the colour! The finished product is now a more alive-looking natural skin colour. It extends your thumb by 15 millimeters so that can use your phone more easily.