You don’t need to tell me the benefits of solar power. A couple of years ago my roof panels generated enough electricity in one month that I didn’t have to pay my energy bill for the rest of the summer. And, like the calculators of old, it seems that big tech is finally wising up to the benefits of scaling solar tech down and adding it to our gadgets.
We’ve seen this tech added to cars, home security cameras, and even phone chargers. Now at MWC 2025 we’ve seen that tech land in a smartphone thanks to Infinix.
The company’s showing off a concept device featuring its new SolarEnergy-Reserving Technology. Which is, essentially, a solar panel built into the back of your phone.
I got to spend a little bit of time with the device at MWC, and while it’s pretty much a one-trick pony I’m still very excited about the prospect of a phone that can recharge itself.
Granted the tech is limited to 2W charging speeds right now, which is outrageously slow. So it goes without saying that this tech isn’t going to replace your phone charger, even if you live in one of the sunniest places on Earth.
But the extra few percentage points of power you generate could easily be the difference between your phone dying and not.
That’s generally the idea behind this tech. Infinix says that it’s all about collecting the energy to extend its own standby time, or as a “practical backup” in the event that more traditional forms of power are out of commission.
AI-optimized power management is also able to regulate the voltage, keeping everything running efficiently and preventing the device from overheating. Better still, the panels can generate power from indoor and outdoor light sources. In fact the concept devices at MWC were able to start recharging using an especially-bright flashlight. Sadly, the flashlight on the back of my phone did absolutely nothing.
It’s unfortunate that Infinix isn’t planning on selling this phone just yet. But with the concept proving that such a phone could exist, I’m looking forward to seeing where this technology actually goes.
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