Apple’s Next Breakthrough: Solar Power
Posted by Joe Boyce on January 25, 2010
Apple’s recently filed patents for solar integrated devices has created a firestorm of buzz across the technology and solar blogosphere. Apple was recently granted a number of patents for new solar technology, including one that described a transparent solar surface that speculators say will cover the entire casing of the next generation iPod, save for the screen and clickwheel. If this is true, could it be long before this technology hits the casing of the iPhone, the long anticipated Apple “Tablet” which offers a perfect blend of surface area and need for light weight and long battery life, and ultimately their entire portable product line?
Rumors about Apple going solar have been around for a few years now. In fact the first I heard about this was at a Greentech Media conference on thin-film solar we hosted a few years ago. Among the long list of industry executives, advocates and investors, there was one woman from a Massachusetts based manufacturer of small components and casings for portable electronics, primarily cell-phones. Interested in why someone from her industry would attend such a conference, (and sensing a potential investment opportunity) I casually worked my way over during a break and started a discussion about her company. As it turned out, they were bidding for an opportunity to provide a new “solar skin” for Apple, for use on the iPhone, which was right at the peak of it’s pre-launch buzz at the time. This information piqued my interest, not only in her company, but in Apple as well.
Perhaps more than ever, the need for Apple to become even more environmentally responsible has never been greater. The integration of solar power into their portable products will provide millions with an easy to understand moniker of Apple’s “greenness” while improving the performance and scalability of their products with what will likely be a net reduction in production cost when comparing the solar powered approach with the cost of developing longer lasting battery power that does not add weight to the devices.
A recent study consumer research firm Retrevo aiming to evaluate what factors would be most important in driving consumers to buy the new Apple tablet were eye-opening. When asked what features the new tablet would make them buy the results were the following:
Absolutely need to have
1. Long Battery Life – 75%
2. 3G network Access – 39%
3. e-Book store with big selection – 28%
When asked what features they’d most like to have on the new tablet, the #1 response was Solar Charging, with 39% of the sample rating it as their top “nice to have”.
With the introduction of the new tablet just two days away as I write this, it’s certain that solar power will not be included in the first-generation product. Judging from the buzz the tablet is creating though, it’s possible that if the tablet is a major hit we will see solar integrated charging as early as the second generation, and if that were to happen, why would Apple not include this technology on all of it’s portable products? I can’t think of a reason either.
Having recently migrated from PC to Mac I’m seeing firsthand how advanced their products are not just technologically, but in terms of design. Their reputation as a pioneering, innovative company is well deserved, and with the addition of a passive solar charging feature on their products they’ll be offering yet another breakthrough to their global market, and a strong statement about the quality and value of solar in the process.
Apple has built its reputation as a pioneer. Over the course of its history, Apple has consistently brought game-changing tech to the table and spawned legions of imitators. With environmental issues very much on the minds of many, Apple has the opportunity to change the game all over again, and plant a huge footprint on the way we evaluate modern technology.