14 DAY TRIAL // Soon after Samsung announced the development of a solar-powered mobile phone that would be showcased at the upcoming Mobile World Congress in Barcelona next week, we learned that another Korean phone maker, LG Electronics, also came forward with a similar device, meant to be demoed at the show as well.
Although LG hasn't unveiled too much info on its upcoming handset, it seems that the similarities between the two are quite strong. Both phones are powered by solar energy and are stated to be eco-friendly all the way up.
The new LG phone has a solar panel that covers all its back. According to the company, a 10-minute recharge is able to provide users with around three minutes of talk time. Given the fact that the panels are situated on the back of the phone, users should keep the device face-down to obtain maximum efficiency. At the same time, it should be noted that the handset won't charge while inside a pocket, so it needs to be taken to light regularly.
The new LG phone is made out of bio-plastic and the company stated that it did not include 6 of the RoHS hazardous substances, namely lead, cadmium, mercury, chromium 6, PBB and PBDE. At the same time, the phone manufacturer also stated that it had focused on the power consumption of the handset when in standby and came up with an eco-friendly manual, printed with soy ink on recycled paper.
The images LG released with its new phone show it as a variant of the KF750 Secret handset, only that it includes solar panels on the back. The panels will recharge a conventional battery inside the device, as they are not able to deliver enough energy to maintain the phone alive while talking. LG stated that it hoped the solar-charged phone would come to the market this year.