A number of mobile phone manufacturers at the Mobile World Conference in Barcelona have revealed they will now develop solar-powered handsets.
Major companies such as Samsung, Digicel and ZTE have revealed plans for the handsets, with Samsung revealing its “Blue Earth” device at the conference.
The Blue Earth phone, made from recycled water bottles, will also measure a user’s “carbon footprint”. The development is an attempt by the Korea-based manufacturer to address the concerns of environmentalist groups.
But the phone has come under criticism for lacking the features of other products in its class, as the Blue Earth only offers four hours of talk time from a 14-hour charge in direct sunlight.
LG Electronics will also enter the solar-powered community, revealing plans for a similar device.
“Using renewable solar energy in a mobile handset is an example of our ongoing efforts to help create a safer, cleaner environment for our customers,” LG mobile communications chief Skott Ahn said.
A joint venture between ZTE, Caribbean mobile network Digicel and Dutch group Intivation also said they will manufacture and release a cheap solar-powered phone for use in developing countries.
LG also released its “Touch Watch” phone (pictured right), which it plans to sell in the British market in the second half of the year. The phone boasts a touch screen and multimedia capabilities, and works via a Bluetooth headset – or even picks up a user’s voice when at waist level.
Yahoo mobile also announced plans for its “Yahoo Mobile” service, an online-based “mobile experience”. The new online service will offer applications on a front page, and can be downloaded to any phone from a web browser.
The service is essentially an online destination point for mobile phones to access data over the internet.
“There is a growing number of consumers out there who are not iPhone users but want a rich starting experience,” says Marco Boerries, the head of Yahoo’s mobile division.
The group will also launch Yahoo Mobile for iPhones at the end of March. Test versions of the service will begin operating this week.
Yahoo will also launch a version of Yahoo Mobile for the iPhone itself at the end of March.
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Patrick Stafford is a freelance journalist and a former deputy editor of SmartCompany.
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