Apple Applies for Solar Power Patent

Could the most prominent star in the Milky Way also become your iPhone or iPod's next power source?Apple has filed a patent for integrating solar cells in portable devices -- making them truly portable by freeing them from the wires needed for connection to a power supply. The cells would be placed underneath the layers of a touch-sensitive display, with information regarding the performance of a device?s solar cells displayed on the main screen next to info for battery power, text message alerts and time of day, according to the patent, "Solar cells on portable devices."

Apple is certainly not the only company looking to put the Sun to work. Last month Vodafone announced plans about solar-powered phone chargers. In addition, Voltaic Systems came out with the world's first solar laptop bag, which comes equipped with adapters that allow other electronics, such as cell phones, to be charged.Forbes, InfoWorld