Apple 'Evaluating' Solar-Cell Firms in Taiwan, Industry Sources Say

A new report indicates Apple is on the verge of beginning tests with solar-powered solutions, if a number of Taiwan-based solar firms are to be believed.

Trade publication DigiTimes has learned from the Taiwanese firms that both Apple and Samsung have been “evaluating” the niche market for solar-powered consumer solutions.

The duo, who are coincidentally embroiled in a legal dispute over the design similarities of their products, are said to be considering the inclusion of Taiwan-based solar firms in their respective supply chains.

No device names are given, but it is reasonable to assume Apple will be looking into implementing the technology in its iPhones and iPads before anything, should this report prove accurate.

Of course, that’s only if Apple decides to adopt solar-cell technology in the near future.

However, solar-powered consumer products are not likely to form a solid market in the short term, industry sources cited by the Taiwanese paper added.

Picked up by numerous Mac-centric blogs and technology publications, the DigiTimes report spurs the recollection of an Apple patent application from 2008 in which the company headquartered at 1 Infinite Loop, Cupertino, California described an iPod with integrated solar cells.

Apple’s proposition is to place photovoltaic cells underneath transparent surfaces, such as the device’s actual screen, but also on the enclosure, to maximize the chances to catch sunlight and convert it into electricity.

Battery life is one of the biggest concerns in mobile device development, whether it’s a phone, a media player like the iPod touch, a tablet device like the iPad, or a portable computer, like Apple’s MacBook Pro family.

Because of this, devices that can last up to 10 hours on one charge and provide PC-level functionality have a huge advantage, this being the case of Apple’s iPad.

So it’s no surprise Apple is looking into extending this advantage to the rest of its offerings.