This Patent, released by apple, shows that they could be creating solar powered iPhones very soon. Could the 3rd Gen iPhone be solar? Hopefully! -MacRumors post- A recently published patent application discovered by MacRumors reveals that Apple is investigating the use of solar power in versions of their mobile devices -- both handheld devices and portable computers. Integrating solar power into a mobile device holds the enormous potential of extending battery life significantly. However, successfully integrating solar panels into these small devices is not without its challenges. The major issues described are the limited area available to solar panels, durability, and the "wasting" of space on a portable device. It is due to these problems that solar power has not found its way into mobile devices, not just from Apple, but from all manufacturers. The most interesting technique described by Apple, however, is the integration of the solar panels behind the actual LCD screen of a portable device. The solar panel would absorb ambient light that passes through the LCD screen of the device. This could eliminate any additional footprint typically required by the solar panels. If successfully implemented, Apple's iPhone, iPod and laptops, could require no outward changes in design to add solar power. Apple's not the only one exploring this technology as an old (2001) Motorola patent describes the same technique. While several limitations to the technique were described at that time, the issues may have been better addressed in recent years.
I saw this last year, and it is an exciting prospect. I just can't help but think it is my pants that should be solar cells. There is, actually, work being done to develop paint on solar cells that would make clothing, among other things, a source of energy for all your devices. Subsidize your energy bill by painting your house. Never worry about a dead car battery. But the most interesting aspect of this work is that it claims to take advantage of the non-visible spectrum. For example; I believe a standard solar cell has to be operating to it's full potential for about 2 years before it produces the amount of energy it took to create the cell in the first place. Harnessing UV will make solar energy substantially more feasible. Now, that really is exciting.
Yeah, they have alot of things that they are experimenting with, but it all seems so far away.... This is at least (hopefully) in the near future!
I saw this last year as well. It would be very cool if they could integrate it, but I don't want a thicker iPhone, and I am sure that stuff takes up space. The iPod Touch definitely has space to spare if it means solar power.
With the size that it is now, adding a solar layer would not add much thickness at all. And i decided not to wait for this- i just purchased a solar charger, it works on my phone too! It will be very useful for the road trips im planning this summer
This is an awesome idea especially if you will be outdoors with your iDevice. It would be cool... but couldn't this make the price get upped a lot? I hope not. We'll just have to see... Apple though is the kind of company that would pull out something cool and revolutionary like this though.
Adding a solar panel would be great. I mean with the new OLED Technoledgy, the phone wont increase in size. What a great use for a big screen. O___. Just thought about this. Is this Apples way of solving the battery problem?
iKoda said big screem. But i dont know if he/she meant bigger screen. I have read some where that theres a rumor that Apple will come out with a bigger iphone and ipod touch screen. 7 inches and 9 inches is what i heard. Now dont say that cant be true and flame me its just what i heard.
I would buy it right now... there's a lot of talk now about the next iphone! do you really think they'd release one within a year of the iphone 3G? it better have a nice camera with a flash!
Well idk, thats a little big for the iphone... who would get that?? All i know is that if they do it to the ipod, the macbook is getting the same treatment, which is incredibly exciting. id rather get the touch, an stick with my cheap plan lol
