A Solar-Powered iPhone?

Posted by: Olga Kharif on May 27

A new patent filing suggests that Apple may be investigating making a solar-powered iPhone. It won’t be the first company to try and integrate solar capabilities into a phone: Motorola has looked at making a solar-powered phone for the past several years. But such a phone is yet to hit the market.

With energy prices skyrocketing and people becoming increasingly environmentally conscious, perhaps now is a good time to rectify that. Besides, every phone could use a longer battery life.

Apple’s patent suggests integrating a layer of solar cells underneath a device’s liquid crystal display. The patent may apply to iPods, iPhones or MacBooks.

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Reader Comments

Dave.Bisset

May 27, 2008 04:39 PM

With Apple recently buying that low powered processor company, heading solar does seem to make sense. With their recent developments of the touch screen for typing and browsing, integrating a solar panel under that already flat surface would go a long way to proving power. With flash drives consuming less power too, it seems while so many other makers are always advertising "faster", apple is focused on trimming down power consumption and making the devices truly portable.

They have the technology to make a computer fit on a phone with OS X and now have it run off available lighting.
Now that is neat and will sell like hot cakes. Surf the web anywhere

Free at last. Cant wait.

Clean.Energy

May 28, 2008 06:53 AM

Nice Gag, but what relly matters is ...

Concentrating Solar Thermal Power, CSP
The Solution: Desertec and CSP

http://tinyurl.com/47co9w
http://tinyurl.com/4rv48e
http://www.flagsol.com/FLAGSOL.htm
If one adds about 10-20% cofireing with alternative or fossile fuels on could run these plats 24/7.
http://tinyurl.com/6n74mq

http://www.ecogeek.org/content/view/1677/73/

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BusinessWeek writers Peter Burrows, Cliff Edwards, Steve Hamm, Rob Hof, Olga Kharif, Steve Wildstrom, Aaron Ricadela, and Spencer Ante dig behind the headlines to analyze what’s really happening throughout the world of technology. One of the first mainstream media tech blogs, Tech Beat covers everything from tech bellwethers like Apple, Google, and Intel and emerging new leaders such as Facebook to new technologies, trends, and controversies.

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