Samsung, LG to Introduce Solar-Powered Phones

Courtesy of SAMSUNG Electronics

Courtesy of LG Electronics


Samsung and LG Electronics, the South Korean handset duo, said Friday they will exhibit solar-powered and eco-friendly mobile phones at a telecommunication fair to be held in Spain.

Samsung said the industry's first "Blue Earth" handset features a solar panel on the back of the phone's battery, producing power to charge its battery.

"Just a 10-minute charge from the solar panel would allow a user to make a call for three minutes," Samsung spokesman Shin Young-june said.

"The latest device is a reflection of our steady commitment to producing more consumer electronics products with eco-friendly technology," Shin said, adding the phone is made from recycled plastic, helping reduce carbon emissions in the manufacturing process.

The "Mobile World Congress (MWC)" will take place in Barcelona from Feb. 16 to 19.

At the show, Samsung's cross-town rival LG Electronics will also take the similar step toward the environmental friendliness by showing off "eco-friendly" phones in its specially-designated "eco-zone" there.

"The phone is equipped with solar cells on the phone's battery cover, allowing the phone user to make a three minute call with a 10-minute charge," spokesman Park Seung-koo said.

LG aims to start selling the environmental-friendly devices this year, while Samsung's Shin declined to comment on the timing of the debut.

As one of the fastest-growing markets for gadgets, from notebooks to mobile phones, it's not surprising that green practices have emerged at the top of the agendas of technology companies.

Analysts and industry watchers say the time is ripe for the industry to convert rhetoric into "serious strategies" to go green.

At least in the handset industry, the trend is expected to gain full momentum at the upcoming telecommunication exhibition in Spain because Samsung and LG _ the No. 2 and No. 3 mobile phone producers, respectively _ clarified their keen interests in eco-related mobile devices.

Recycling or refurbishing is just "a word" technology companies are aiming at. Most handset makers are coming up with such devices, which cause less environmental damage.

The industry leader, Nokia's "3110 Evolve," is a phone with bio-covers made from more than 50 percent renewable materials.

The device is also presented in a small package made with 60 percent recycled content.

"Phones are getting smarter with advanced technologies. Despite the uncertain outlook in the global handset industry amid the deteriorating economy, leading vendors were injecting massive cash in a pre-emptive measure for the future," an analyst at Woori Investment & Securities said.

Separately, Samsung plans to introduce a smart-phone using Google's android platform this year.

"We will introduce the phone sometime in the second half of this year," another Samsung spokesman said, denying wider speculation that the company will exhibit the device at the show.