Solar Panel

[daviddcmd]

Wonder if it would be plausible to integrate a small solar panel on the iphone for charging the battery while still maintaining the traditional charger.

Thoughts?

 

[eawmp1]

You mean like this: http://www.edisastersystems.com/store/Eton-Rechargeable-Battery-Case-with-Solar-Panel-for-iPhone-4-and-iPhone-4s.html?gclid=CIaSnMPajrkCFejm7Aodo0UA_A

 

[Interstella5555]

Anything is plausible, you should consider practicality next.

 

[cynics]

Solar panels aren't efficient enough yet if you'd want them to be built onto the phone. Then the phone would need to be designed around it. As you may know letting your phone sit in the sun isn't a good idea.

 

[CAWjr]

Considering Apple owns the patent on solar charging a smartphone, you are more likely to see it on an iPhone before any other phone.

http://goo.gl/yQgjsZ

 

[Shrink]

Solar panels aren't efficient enough yet if you'd want them to be built onto the phone. Then the phone would need to be designed around it. As you may know letting your phone sit in the sun isn't a good idea.

True...but there are "solar" panels that will charge under artificial lighting. I have one in a watch that I own.

However, the amount of juice necessary to charge a tiny watch battery would be, as you point out, insufficient to charge a battery as large as that in the phone.

 

[cynics]

Solar Panel

True...but there are "solar" panels that will charge under artificial lighting. I have one in a watch that I own.

However, the amount of juice necessary to charge a tiny watch battery would be, as you point out, insufficient to charge a battery as large as that in the phone.

That's true. Quite a few do, I have a couple calculators and such. But you know people would be putting them on their cars dash if it charged it.

 

[Lucille Carter]

Even if the entire back of the phone was all solar panel, you would have to let it sit out in the direct sun for hours to make even a little difference. Solar panel technology only gathers a very small percentage of the sun's energy to convert to electricity, about 20% or less and it would be a very small panel to fit your phone.

We really need a whole new solar technology for these to be worth more than just heating water.

No telling that to our president!

 

[Motherload0211]

True...but there are "solar" panels that will charge under artificial lighting. I have one in a watch that I own.

However, the amount of juice necessary to charge a tiny watch battery would be, as you point out, insufficient to charge a battery as large as that in the phone.

To charge a watch is so much different than charging an iPhone as mention above. Not practical yet, but someday it may. The solar cells could be mounted on back. Who knows

 

[Mrbobb]

I think for emergency OK. Like u have to leave it on the sun for a couple of hours just to be able to make a 2 minutes emergency call.