Apple patent filing suggests solar powered iPhone
Cells lurking beneath screen
The battery life of portable gadgets has always been a source of frustration. But Apple may have found an eco-friendly way around the problem – by integrating a solar panel behind, say, the iPhone’s LCD display.
Apple has filed a patent application for the integration of a layer of solar cells below a gadget’s LCD display. Essentially, sunlight passing across, say, the iPhone’s screen could be soaked-up by the solar panel beneath the LCD and then turned into useable power for the phone.
The firm's "Solar cells on portable devices" patent application states that “solar cells embedded into the device then provide the electrical power to charge the batteries. The power generated from the solar cell can also directly power the operations of the device”.
It’s not clear at this stage which devices Apple may consider using solar power for, although the iPhone would be an obvious guess because battery life on the phone has been panned since day one.
The patent also states that information about solar-power generation could be displayed on the device’s main screen, allowing users to monitor the amount of mains-sourced power left versus the level of solar charge available.
Apple isn't the first manufacturer to consider integrating solar cells directly into gadgets though. In 2007, Motorola developed a screen allowing around 75 per cent of light to radiate through, meaning a solar cell could be placed behind to soak-up the light and turn it into useable power.
COMMENTS
Re: Henry Ford
Yes, but he sold a f*** of a lot of tractors though, didn't he?
One of the many things he was good at, listening to the market.........
Meh
I remember a solar cell device I had a while back (it was an LED flasher unit for unmanned parked up drilling rigs).
The manual warned that fluorescent lighting wont charge the unit properly and may even cause the unit to trip out.
And I remember a friend having a panic attack in an exam when his calculator overheated due to direct sunlight.
The phone itself is either in your pocket/bag (where it wont get much light), on your desk/table (where it could be plugged into the mains) or in your car (where it could be plugged into the cigarette lighter).
You could get a clear bag/belt mounted phone holder for it but you would look silly and pretentious, and make yourself a target for being mugged (remember when ipods first came out? People with white headphones were being mugged for them)
Mines the one without anything from apple in the pockets
Sony Solar Walkman WM-F107
I had one of these in my massive Sony Walkman collection in the EIGHTIES. Apple, how are you going to patent this? Solar calculators, watches, Walkmans et al have been produced for literally DECADES.
Apple files a patent ...
and all the little anti-Apple wormies come rushing out making a huge "They're gonna die" fuss about ... what?
Crawl back into your wormholes and wait until there is something tangible (see dictionary ... you know, the word thingy).
Paris, because she sucks worms.
amazing
The negative comments on here are truly amazing.
Henry Ford once commented:
"If I'd asked the farmers what they'd wanted, they'd have told me a faster stronger horse."
If you lack the vision to create the Next Thing, the shut up and get out the way whilst other people do.
wucking fankers
