Apple is ‘Evaluating’ Solar Panels to Power Our Future iDevices [Report]

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Rumor has it that Apple is already working on a new method of charging our iPhones for 2012, and many believe the company may introduce wireless magnetic charging using technology developed by WiTricity. But according to a report from DigiTimes, future iOS devices may absorb all the energy they need from the sun.

Apple, along with Samsung, has been evaluating the possibility of having solar panels power our mobile devices, and what’s more, the company is even said to be considering the introduction of some Taiwan-based solar suppliers to its supply chain. However, it could be some time before we have solar-powered iPhones, according to DigiTimes, whose sources says it will take time for the technology to develop:

However, according to Taiwan-based solar firms, these niche markets will need a longer time to develop. Samsung’s solar-powered netbook adopts a unique sized solar cell, added industry sources, and the number of solar cells used is less than rooftop solar systems, hence it is unlikely for solar-powered consumer products to form a solid market in the short term.

Apple’s exploration into solar power is nothing new: back in June the company filed a patent for a solar-powered iPhone with invisible collection cells, and other patents have referenced this technology since way back in 2009. Do you think we’ll ever see a solar-powered iPhone?

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