DigiTimes is reporting that both Apple and Samsung are looking into the possibility of incorporating solar cells into future versions of their consumer-level products. So serious are both these companies, that they have gone so far as to have discussions with Taiwanese solar cell manufacturers.
That’s not to say solar-powered products are anywhere on the horizon in the near future. Many of these solar projects are still in the research stage in an attempt to increase energy conversion efficiency.
If you can remember all the way back to 2008, an Apple patent filling was discovered, showing the company’s interest in solar technology for their consumer product lines. A second patent application along similar lines, showed an iPod-like device with solar cells in the outer casing of the device. In this second patent, the device would also have built in power management so that power consumption could be balanced between the solar panels and the device’s battery, depending on the lighting environment the device is in.
Lastly, just a few weeks back, The Wall Street Journal released a report claiming that Apple was looking into a new way of charging the iPhone, and hopes to roll out the feature in next year’s model. Any way you slice it, Apple is looking into different ways to power our devices.
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