Apple Researching Integration of Solar Panels in Flexible Touchscreen Displays

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office today granted a new Apple patent describing the integration of a solar panel into a mobile touchscreen device with a flexible display, reports AppleInsider.

solar-touchscreen-patent
The newly granted patent is a variation on patent No. 8,730,179, which primarily applies to display-less, touch-capable devices, limiting its functionality in contemporary mobile devices. Both patent applications were filed on September 30, 2008, but the expanded version granted today has taken more time to work its way through the approval process.

Today's patent describes a method of stacking solar cells between touch sensor layers within a display matrix to create a compact solar charging system that stores energy in the device's battery. It applies to both glass-covered and flexible plastic displays.

Integrated touch sensor and solar panel stack-up configurations that may be used on portable devices, particularly handheld portable devices such as a media player or phone are disclosed. The solar cell stack-up configurations may include one or more touch sensor layers and one or more solar cell layers. By integrating both the touch sensors and the solar cell layers into the same stack-up, surface area on the portable device may be conserved.

Given the limited power made available through solar charging and the power consumption requirements of mobile devices, this technology likely won't be the main source of power in a device. It could, however, serve as a backup power source or may pave the way for advancements that could increase the efficiency of the system as mobile devices and solar technology improve.

Apple has reportedly explored a number of methods, including solar for charging its rumored iWatch. Other possible methods have included wireless induction charging and kinetic charging that would capture energy imparted as the user's arm moves.

Tag: Patent

Popular Stories

Apple Glass

Apple Smart Glasses: Everything We Know So Far

Wednesday May 21, 2025 8:21 am PDT by
Google recently made waves by showcasing a set of lightweight smart glasses featuring deep Gemini integration and an optional in-lens display. The demo has reignited interest in Apple's own smart glasses project, which has been the subject of rumors for nearly a decade. Here's a recap of where things stand. Current Development Status Apple is actively working on new chips specifically...
Apple Glasses Purple Feature

Apple Smart Glasses Launching in 2026

Thursday May 22, 2025 12:22 pm PDT by
Apple is planning to launch a set of smart glasses by the end of 2026, reports Bloomberg. The glasses will be comparable to the Meta Ray-Bans and the Android XR glasses that Google showed off earlier this week. Apple's smart glasses are expected to include cameras, microphones, and AI capabilities, much like the Meta Ray-Bans. The glasses will be able to take photos, record video, provide...
Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's CarPlay Ultra Is Here – Does Your iPhone Support It?

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:17 am PDT by
Apple's recently announced CarPlay Ultra promises a deeply integrated in-car experience, but not all iPhone users will be able to take advantage of the new feature. According to Apple's press release, CarPlay Ultra requires an iPhone 12 or later running iOS 18.5 or later. This means if you're using an iPhone 11, iPhone XR, or any older model, you'll need to upgrade your device to access...
maxresdefault

OpenAI Buys Jony Ive's AI Startup to 'Completely Reimagine What It Means to Use a Computer'

Wednesday May 21, 2025 10:27 am PDT by
OpenAI is acquiring io, the hardware-based AI startup co-created by Jony Ive, OpenAI announced today. Ive has been working with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman on io for two years, and the duo expects to develop a family of AI devices. In a video shared by OpenAI, Altman and Ive outlined their partnership and what they expect to create as a result of the merger. "I have a growing sense that everything ...
WWDC 2025 Banner

Apple Announces WWDC 2025 Schedule, Including Keynote Time

Tuesday May 20, 2025 8:13 am PDT by
Apple today announced a more detailed schedule for its annual developers conference WWDC, which runs from June 9 through June 13. The schedule confirms that Apple's keynote will begin on Monday, June 9 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time, with a live stream to be available on Apple.com, in the Apple TV app, and on YouTube. During the keynote, Apple is expected to announce iOS 19, iPadOS 19, macOS 16,...
iPod shuffle generations

Kuo: Jony Ive's Futuristic OpenAI Device Like a Neck-Worn iPod Shuffle

Thursday May 22, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
The big news in the technology world this week is that ChatGPT maker OpenAI is working more closely with Apple's former design chief Jony Ive on a futuristic AI device. The company is remaining tight lipped about the device, but Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has shared some alleged details about its design. In a social media post today, Kuo said the device will be "slightly larger" ...
macOS 16 visionOS Inspired Feature 1

macOS 16: Everything We Know So Far

Tuesday May 20, 2025 7:31 am PDT by
The Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple's annual developer and software-oriented event, is less than three weeks away. We haven't heard a great deal about macOS 16 ahead of its announcement this year, so we could be in for some major surprises when June 9 rolls around. Here's what we know so far about the next major update to Apple's Mac operating system. macOS 16 Name? Every year ...

Top Rated Comments

JaySoul Avatar
144 months ago
That would work well.

Keep it in my back pocket cos the sun shines out of my a--.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MacrumoursUser Avatar
144 months ago
I think it would be useful if you are outside all the time or you don't wear a long sleeve shirt when you wear a watch or leave your phone on the table when you aren't using it. Unless it can charge using light from florescent lights, I don't see it happening soon.

Imagine you are in the middle of the woods, lost and your iPhone is dead. If this was to happen you could just leave it in the sun for few hours and you would be able to call 911 and your mommy.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
codewrangler Avatar
144 months ago
Good Idea

Makes sense...just another way to lengthen the battery usage. If it's feasible to do, they should do it. Every drop of electricity you can save/replace, means longer iPhone usage without plugging into a power outlet.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HobeSoundDarryl Avatar
144 months ago
As a renewable energies student, I really think that it would have better efficiency if the solar cells were incorporated in the bezels. Although the surface area is smaller, there are not two layers of glass between the sun and the actual cell. The bezel could in fact be a solar cell which would allow more photons to be converted in electric energy.
And if you think about it being in one's pocket when not in use, how about making the back & sides the solar collecting panels? When out of pocket and in use, wouldn't those be more exposed? Both?

----------

All Day Battery would be a welcome addition ...

The (IMO) over-focus on "thin" fights that very good idea. We can get all-day battery now by putting our iPhone in a battery case. It makes it only a little thicker and wastes some "thin" by having case walls on case walls. Wouldn't it be nice to quit the race toward "thinner" and instead deliver the battery power of iPhone + battery case within an iPhone? When is thin, thin enough?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
thirumalkumaran Avatar
144 months ago
Samsung

Samsung..

Ready
3
2
1
...
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
eagle33199 Avatar
144 months ago
That explains something I recently heard from a coworker. He has a friend who works at 3M and was recently over at one of their plants in China... Apparently, they are working with Apple on producing some new display technology for the iPhone 6 that includes some method of "using ambient light to help backlight the display" - a phrase that had me confused until now. Solar panels that feed directly into the display backlight would help take some pressure off the battery, and you know those panels will be exposed when the phone is actually in use. He also said September for the launch.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)