Xiaomi Is Developing A Smartphone With Solar Panel

Chinese conglomerate, Xiaomi launches a wide variety of smartphones every year that range from budget devices like the Redmi Go to flagship-grade Mi Mix and Redmi K20 Pro. Due to its value for money offerings, it has become a well-known brand around the globe.

Apart from competitively priced devices, the company is also investing resources to develop unique and innovative devices, one of which includes the unreleased two-way foldable smartphone.

According to freshly discovered patents, Xiaomi is working on a handset with rear-mounted solar panels. Yes! you read it right, the technology that has been fantasied ever since the inception of smartphones may soon become a reality suggests the patent.

In terms of design, the front of the Xiaomi smartphone is reminiscent of the Redmi K20 duo that has a high screen-to-body ratio display. The handset lacks a visible fingerprint sensor, therefore, the company could opt for an under-display scanner which is slowly becoming a common sighting on mid-range and premium devices.

The rear of the Xiaomi device from the patent has a vertically aligned dual-camera setup which slightly protrudes from the surface.

Noteworthy, the solar panel on the device has been thoughtfully embedded into the rear. Hence, it does not stick out allowing the smartphone to maintain a slim profile which is as portable as a conventional smartphone of this size.

Clearly, the sole purpose of the solar panel will be to recharge the inbuilt battery of the handset. Unfortunately, fine details like the wattage generated by the solar panel are currently unavailable. 

Nonetheless, going by its size it is assumed to produce 50-10 watts of energy per hour. For reference, a smartphone with 4000 mAh capacity battery which is rated 3.7 v can hold a total current of 14.8 W. 

Hence taking the previously mentioned Whr power generation, it would take between 3 to 6 hours to fully replenish the inbuilt battery. 

Most importantly, the brightness of the sun will also affect the charging speed of the device. Charging a smartphone with a built-in solar panel might take significantly more time in comparison to currently available fast chargers, the technology will only get better with passing time.

Also Read: Leaked Images Of The OnePlus 7T Pro Spotted Online

To sum it up, a smartphone with a solar panel is a welcoming addition from Xiaomi. However, the patent does not suggest any launch date of such a device. Consequently, we will have to wait patiently until the company itself reveals more details about.