4th Gen iPhone May Be Last Without Solar Capacity

[Michael Essany]

Tomorrow, Steve Jobs is expected to unveil the 4th generation iPhone before a sold-out crowd at the kick-off of the 2010 WWDC. At the big reveal, be sure to take a close look. It may, in fact, be the last new iPhone that ever debuts without some solar-power capacity.

Rumors have abounded for months (if not years) that Apple would "soon" develop a fully solar-powered handset. Needless to say, that's a reality we may not see for several more years (if ever). But it's evident that Apple, in the very near future, may incorporate some solar powered components into subsequent generations of iPhones, iPods, and even iPads.

A recent flurry of patent filings depict the placement of solar cells on portable iDevices. In last few days, in fact, we've even discovered that Apple is tinkering with touch sensor integrated solar panels, a development that could bring solar power to iPhones sooner than anyone may presently expect. Just as the patent-related clues foretold the arrival of the once "mythical" unnamed tablet that became the iPad, Apple has designs on solar-power integration.

Many environmentally-conscious gadget gurus are cautiously optimistic that the 5th generation iPhone will have Apple "completely covering the device in a thin film layer of solar cells," including the display. The market for green mobile technologies is heating up at a rapid pace. And Apple is acutely aware of it, along with myriad competitors in the smartphone space - like Motorola, a company that has similarly toyed with the prospect of "fusing solar cells with LCDs."

In recent weeks, environmental activists have called on Apple to participate in the green movement to a considerably more active degree - some have even demanded that Apple should "donate" to help clean up the oil spill in the Gulf. But while Apple alone certainly can't pacify all the world's environmental concerns, it appears that won't stop Cupertino from taking steps - no matter how small - to make iDevices as green as they are commonplace.

Image via Patently Apple

[Amraam]

Pretty cool.

See chaps, just how easy it is to refrain from writing "first"?!

[damod84]

Second!

[[email protected]]

So there's solar power in this phone already??? I don't get it

[j3wbagell]

they could just use a clear glass panel ontop of the lcd and that would look exactly like the CURRENT iPhone

[btowne]

Going green? I didn't know my iPhone was emitting greenhouse gases into our atmosphere...

[crazyalaa]

Omg Apple is really smart. They want to increase their market share by making the iPhone good for everybody!

[madczech]

Going green? I didn't know my iPhone was emitting greenhouse gases into our atmosphere...

dude it's not the phone.. its the energy

guess apple will always have a good reputation being green

[fatsnake]

Going green? I didn't know my iPhone was emitting greenhouse gases into our atmosphere...

Not directly but everytime you charge your phone you're using electricity from the power company, who may get their power from fossil fuels.

[waheedtarin]

Never gonna happen for a while maybe someone else will come up with it first and apple will see if it's a great plan

[sziklassy]

I can see it now... charge your phone in the sun... and get the overheating exclamation point warning.

[whereswaldo]

@damod84 actually, check the numbers your third

[pacmac]

so that mean that we have to take the case off...is there like a case that has solar charger on it already? im sure most of use case on are beloved iphones/ipod touch/ipads..my the ipad would have advantage due to its size fatty solar panels.

how bout this solor charger for 25$? good?
2600mAH Multi-function Digital Mobile Solar Power Charger take like 6-8 hours to charge the 2600mah batt inside..i wonder how long would it take to charge them built in solar on the iphone/ipads/ipods..i assume it will just keep charging it as long theres light but that will depend on how much sun light/light your around..

[CZroe]

There are an awful lot of stupid assumptions in this article. For one, if clear solar cell technology had developed to a point where you could make an LCD panel visible through it and still generate a useful charge, THAT would be what is being patented... not a "solar touch panel."

In case you forgot, iPods have had touch panels much longer than they have had touch screens and that is PRECISELY what this patent is for. PANELS. OPAQUE panels. Duh. Remember the patent about making a touch-sensitive bezel? That's relevant too. Mark my words: this patent is NOT for a solar-powered touch SCREEN.

Are you so desperate to relate this to iPhone news as to distort it that badly?

[mikerlx]

Solar charger makes sense but apple would want it perfected

[l0k0]

Solar charger makes sense but apple would want it perfected

Not likely.......Because we all know in order to perfect something. You must first get it wrong a few times.

Same with the iphone, Apple is still yet to develope a phone that cant be jailbroken........Once again, its not perfect.

And IF this new 4th Gen iphone only supports 720P. Then we can once again say that they are still not perfecting it. Because whats the point in having HD if u cant support 1080P. For crying out loud, 720P is the lowest form of HD. 960P is even a crap quality of HD (IMO).

[santacruzlocal]

I think people who write "First" or "Second" for that matter ... Should be taken out in the woods and shot, Nothing to serious just in the leg maybe a shoulder.

[Halten77]

OMG Theres A Blackout! Lemme Call Someone... Wait... Damn 5th Gen Solar Powered iPhone! I'm Sure That It Has Battery Backup And Doesnt Rely Solely On Sun Power...

[BlackDrag0n]

Cant Wait

[imho123]

Hey guys...

I think if the technology of transparent solar cells is ready (I guess apple is going to assess that in various prototypes) and if it is what the customer wants (I'm not sure about that) then apple is likely to launch an iPad with solar cells but at a very high price and in very limited availability.

some thoughts on that:

- given the surface area of the devices, solar cells on the next iPad make way more sense than on the tiny iPhone.

- the technology has to be ready for the mass market otherwise it destroys part of apple's image of easy to use, always working devices.

- apple always did anything to increase their image/reputation as this is very important for the customers and their willingness to pay for the whole product range. apple gained several certificates for avoiding the usage of lead and other heavy metals in some of their products. They also participate in the "Product Red" initiative. BUT: only with a slim slice of their products. for example there is only a limited range of Product Red products by apple.

THUS i think that they just might offer the option of choosing a green iPad but @ a ridiculously high price. Because for the image it is only important that the company IS offering a green option but not how affordable that option is. Porsche for example are just pushing their "green" image by developing a greener version... which will be limited to a very low quantity at a very high price... still it gives them the image to be somehow concerned about the environment which increases sales of their very environmentally unfriendly cars.

so if you ask me, apple will definitely try to exploit that technology in an iPad if it is ready, but rather to improve their image (+ Sales) than bringing the ultimate green solution to the mobile market.

looking fwd for your comments.

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OMG Theres A Blackout! Lemme Call Someone... Wait... Damn 5th Gen Solar Powered iPhone! I'm Sure That It Has Battery Backup And Doesnt Rely Solely On Sun Power...

If it relied completely on solar power, it would switch off everytime its in your pocket =)

BTW: the flow-chart showed that there will be a battery involved...
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Same with the iphone, Apple is still yet to develope a phone that cant be jailbroken........Once again, its not perfect.

Could there be the possibility that apple is just trying to keep up the image that they are not supporting the jailbreak? Actually it is only improving their products value:

image there are only 2 types of iphone users:

a) normal users that are happy that the iphone works in the secure sandbox apple supplies and

b)(very) advanced users that want to exploit the phone to its maximum and are a capable of taking care of the phone even when it sometimes crashes.

officially apple is marketing only to to a) users who are willing to buy it and are happy with the functions and that it never crashes. if that was the only market apple would care for, they would exclude everybody of b) who are usually heavy users and early adopters (who a technology firm needs, like humans need oxygen). so they would loose the most attractive users to android or windows mobile.

by leaving open some backdoors for jailbreaks here and there apple is attracting b) users and is still able to officially not support them (which is important for the exclusive mobile network contracts with AT&T in the States and T-mobile in Germany, the two mobile markets in the world with the biggest margins and volume).

so jailbreaking is actually enabling apple to attend two marriages at the same time: exclusive contracts and the image of perfection on the one side and the important early adopters and innovators on the other side...

if you ask me this is just a very elegant strategic coup by apple. this is why i admire the company and the CEO... perfection in strategy.

PS: that post merging is irritating... i inserted lines to mark the 3 different posts i made.