Apple going greener: solar powered iPhone on the horizon
New patent reveals it's a possibility
Whilst Apple is in a respectable 5th place in the latest Greenpeace's Guide to Greener Electronics, it would seem that this isn't enough, as indicated by another patent hinting towards solar power in future Apple devices.
Back in 2008 Apple filed for a patent that would put a solar panel behind the screen of the iPhone thus allowing it to charge while in use - much like the principle behind an alternator and a car battery.
The latest discovered patent focuses on power methods that would allow Apple devices to draw power from both solar and battery sources, and technology that would allow the solar panels to continue doing their job even in changing conditions.
In short, the technology would allow the iPhone to configure the circuitry of the solar cells to continue generating power even when some of the cells are not in sunlight.
If the technology does come into fruition - and there is no guarantee it will, the devices should remain largely unchanged, aesthetically speaking, but the green implications from the change could be huge.
And cheaper electricity bills are always welcome.
