Next iPhone to be solar powered?

[troop231]

http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/06/apple-patent-application-hints-at-solar-powered-iphone/

 

[Mr. Chewbacca]

I doubt it would replace the battery. It would extend the amount of life between charges.

That would qualify as a "wow" factor it the new iPhone has that.

 

[125037]

Yes but I don't want my iPhone sitting in direct sunlight... It seems that it could damage the internals as well as fade the material. And please, don't reply "you don't have to use it"... I know this... I'm just saying.

 

[vizkiz]

Yes but I don't want my iPhone sitting in direct sunlight... It seems that it could damage the internals as well as fade the material. And please, don't reply "you don't have to use it"... I know this... I'm just saying.

A friend of mine pointed that out to (he mentioned the patent to me). Apple would most likely not use this on a phone. I agreed because then you'd have idiots leaving it in direct sunlight (in their car on their dashboard, but with their windows closed so nobody steals it) to recharge it and then going back to Apple with warranty claims.

 

[Revelation78]

A friend of mine pointed that out to (he mentioned the patent to me). Apple would most likely not use this on a phone. I agreed because then you'd have idiots leaving it in direct sunlight (in their car on their dashboard, but with their windows closed so nobody steals it) to recharge it and then going back to Apple with warranty claims.

Ture and not true. I'm sure there will be a "sensor" to denote misuse.

This will one day come to the iPhone, I just don't think the technology is quite there yet for the small size of the iPhone.

 

[vizkiz]

Ture and not true. I'm sure there will be a "sensor" to denote misuse.

This will one day come to the iPhone, I just don't think the technology is quite there yet for the small size of the iPhone.

Oh, there probably would be a sensor, but that wouldn't be the problem. The problem would be bad PR. Imagine hundreds, if not thousands of people, complaining that Apple denied a warranty replacement to people who stuck their solar-charging phone in the sun to recharge it. It's crap that Apple doesn't need to deal with.

I don't think this will come to the iPhone.

 

[cshumate]

I don't know about that, but I do have my eyes on a solar-charged iPhone case that is available. It's Apple approved and is $80, working with the iPhone 3G and 3GS, so if/when they make one for the new iPhone, I will very likely be buying the case.

 

[MICHAELSD]

I was thinking that solar power would be more of a complement to the battery. The feature is there so that whenever your iPhone can pull in some solar power from light, it does so. It shouldn't be there to make you change your usaother the iPhone, just use it as you normally would and see a few extra minutes of battery life.