Smartphone, hat and jacket: the solar gadgets from MWC 2025
Solar cells on the back of a smartphone, on a sun hat or a jacket: there are several ideas on show at MWC 2025 that can be used to extend battery life.
The batteries of conventional smartphones are currently neither getting bigger nor extending the battery life of the devices. However, if several exhibitors at the Mobile World Congress have their way, solar cells could soon replace power banks for recharging on the go.
This smartphone charges itself
Chinese manufacturer Infinix presented a concept smartphone at the MWC with Perowskit solar cells on the back. The exhibitor also presented a solar cover for one of its smartphones.
Source: Lorenz Keller
Source: Jan Johannsen
The solar cells utilise so-called sunflower technology. The crystals in the cell orientate themselves towards the sun like plants for optimum energy yield. Despite this, the small areas on the back of smartphones currently only achieve an output of up to two watts.
Source: Lorenz Keller
This hardly charges the battery of a smartphone, but at least extends the runtime. Infinix advertises its solar gadgets as extending the standby time or having energy for emergencies. The manufacturer promises further improvements to the charging technology in the future. These are also necessary, as the demonstration of the charging function using a powerful torch only worked occasionally on the premises at the MWC.
Source: Lorenz Keller
Solar cells for dressing
Anker is also focussing on solar cells made from perovskite. The manufacturer presented its solar jacket in Barcelona, which was first seen at CES in Las Vegas at the beginning of 2025. However, this is only a proof of concept. The manufacturer wants to use it to demonstrate how its flexible solar cells work so that it can sell them to other companies. The jacket itself will not go on sale.
Source: Lorenz Keller
Instead, Anker plans to start selling a sunshade with the same technology in the coming months. This should be able to deliver an output of up to 100 watts.
The solar hat that Ecoflow exhibited in Barcelona is already available. It not only protects against the sun, but also converts its light into electrical energy. However, it does not have an integrated energy storage unit. However, you can connect two devices - one via USB-C and one via USB-A. The hat delivers up to twelve watts to these devices. According to Ecoflow, the hat can charge the 4000 mAh battery of a smartphone in three hours.
Source: Lorenz Keller
I imagine the cable on the hat to be rather annoying. But you could also lay the hat down at the rest area and use it as a solar panel.
A solar notebook
Lenovo is not only showing display concepts at the MWC. The notebook manufacturer has also fitted a laptop with solar cells on the lid.
Source: Jan Johannsen
Even in this case, the solar energy is not used to keep the notebook running permanently. The focus is on extending the battery life. The manufacturer does not reveal exact performance data, but 20 minutes in the sun should be enough for an additional hour of video playback. Despite the panel, the laptop is neither larger, thicker nor heavier than comparable devices.
Header image: Lorenz Keller
10 people like this article
As a primary school pupil, I used to sit in a friend's living room with many of my classmates to play the Super NES. Now I get my hands on the latest technology and test it for you. In recent years at Curved, Computer Bild and Netzwelt, now at Digitec and Galaxus.
