In any case, it seems the Korean manufacturer is exploring the possibility. It filed a patent with the United States Patent and Trademark Office in 2019, which was completed and published only recently.

The latest-generation Samsung smartwatches have a battery life of just under two days. Given their size, they cannot accommodate batteries that are too large.

It will, therefore, be necessary to find innovative ways to significantly increase battery life and reduce the need for frequent charging. For this, Samsung may be looking into solar energy.

To capture the maximum light and transform it into energy, Samsung has designed a watch strap with two small photovoltaic cells, located on either side of the watch case. The idea is not to replace the conventional battery but to extend its lifespan using a natural power source.

By 2030, no less than 50 billion connected devices are expected to be in use worldwide. In the case of connected watches, a solar-panel system is likely to be complementary to a battery, but for smaller objects that require less energy, sunlight on its own could very well be the preferred power source.

In addition to solar energy, some researchers are working on the possibility of transforming part of the 5G network into an electrical network to charge small connected objects nearby.