We've seen Xiaomi make a name for itself in recent years for creating some innovative concepts in smartphones. From its three-part folding phone to its front camera bump to its under-display selfie camera, it's clear there's plenty of imagination to go around its Beijing HQ.
This time, the company may have something in the pipeline that isn't exactly original, but still proves the company's creativity and forward approach somehow. A report from LetsGoDigital claims that Xiaomi has patented a smartphone back in July 2018 - one that has a photovoltaic cell on the back.
The back portion of the device appears to be covered mostly with a solar panel, and a tiny part at the top section holds a two-lens camera. The panel looks thin, but a slight curve is noticeable.
If Xiaomi's patent pushes through, this wouldn't be the first phone powered by a solar panel. In 2009, Samsung released the Crest Solar/Solar Guru in some markets. It's a budget phone with a solar cell on the back portion. There is also a Russian customizer called Caviar that sells a solar powered iPhone X.
The illustrations also show that there's no notch or punch-hole depicted on the screen of the phone, and no markings on the top edge to indicate a pop-up module. We're not sure if the illustrator meant for this happen, or this may be a shortcut so he could put more focus on the phone's most interesting feature. But it could also hint that Xiaomi is working on something that would perhaps hide the camera tech somewhere. At the bottom edge of the phone, there's also what appears to be USB-C port.
While this is exciting, we should consider smartphone patents carefully. One of the significant problems with developing solar-powered tech is that it cannot produce the levels of energy as current sources, not to mention the fact solar-powered tech in countries which experience cold, cloudy seasons - like the UK - may struggle to achieve its potential.
The documents look authentic, but just because a company patents something doesn't always mean the plans will materialize. It's only a patent after all and should be treated as such. This isn't a guarantee that will see a solar-powered smartphone from Xiaomi in the future.
But perhaps it's not wrong to expect a smartphone with this type of tech to power it. If you haven't heard, Xiaomi is reportedly working on a new charging tech like reverse wireless charging, so maybe, the idea of a solar-powered phone isn't far-fetched.
