Sunpartner Technologies and Kyocera Unveil the First Solar Smartphone Designed for Rugged, Outdoor Use

AIX-EN-PROVENCE, France, February 24, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

An exclusive world premiere at the Mobile World Congress 

March 2-5 in Barcelona, Spain 

At this renowned international mobile technology trade show, Sunpartner Technologies, French specialists in innovative solar solutions, and Kyocera Corporation, a leading Japanese mobile phone maker, will unveil the first results of their partnership: a working prototype of a best-selling ruggedized smartphone with Sunpartner's Wysips® Crystal component. This smartphone, designed for tough, outdoor conditions, can now fully benefit from the power provided by this photovoltaic innovation.

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A brilliant partnership      

Who has never had to deal with a phone battery dying just at the wrong time? Thanks to Sunpartner Technologies, this may soon be a thing of the past, making cables and charging routines obsolete. This innovative French company has just integrated its Wysips^® Crystal technology into a ruggedized smartphone by maker Kyocera.

This new working prototype is the result of a partnership started at the end of 2014, which adapts the photovoltaic component's specs to meet the needs of the various markets targeted by the Japanese group.

An enlightened prototype  

Already available in the U.S. and Japan-and with a second generation model soon to launch in Europe-this prototype is a rugged and drop-proof smartphone, optimized for outdoor activities (construction sites, hiking, or sports, for example). Based on the original model, the prototype is equipped with Wysips® Crystal, and creates its own perpetual energy reserves, producing electricity by capturing ambient light.

Installed under the touch screen panel during the manufacturing process, the invisible photovoltaic component Wysips® Crystal helps prolong the battery life of the phone-all while being design neutral. This means users can now access essential features and applications even when the battery is fully discharged.

Wysips® Crystal is unique due to its unprecedented combination of optical and photovoltaic properties. Ultra thin (≤ 0.5 mm), transparent (up to 90%, preserving visual and functional quality), flexible (to fit curved surfaces), and powerful (up to 5 milliwatt-peak per cm2), it can fit into any kind of display.

Sunpartner Technologies: partner to leading manufacturers    

True to its business model of growth through licensing, Sunpartner Technologies continues to position itself in all segments of the mobile telephone market: from feature phones to smartphones, high-end and entry-level, whether for urban users or in extreme conditions, and for all screen technologies and operating systems.

With the Torque prototype, the company once again proves the performance of its Wysips® Crystal technology, taking a new step towards the increased freedom of mobile phones in all situations (indoor/outdoor).

"We are delighted about our partnership with Kyocera-another company committed to innovating and developing advanced technologies. This agreement demonstrates our company's ability to provide working solutions for different ranges of the same market. It also confirms our roadmap: to make any surface into a smart surface thanks to our innovative photovoltaic technologies," said Ludovic Deblois, President and cofounder of Sunpartner Technologies.

With this goal in mind, the French company also announced that advanced discussions are underway with several display manufacturers to start mass production of its invisible photovoltaic components.

The Kyocera Ruggedized Wysips® Crystal Prototype will be unveiled simultaneouslyat Sunpartner Technologies' (Hall 5 - 5C51) and Kyocera Corporation's (Hall 5  - 5D09) stands during Mobile World Congress

About Sunpartner Technologies 

Founded in 2008, Sunpartner Technologies is an French engineering company specializing in Solar NETs (New Energy Technologies). They develop invisible or transparent solar energy solutions that are completely design neutral and seamlessly integrate into target products.  In particular, the company invented Wysips® (What You See Is Photovoltaic Surface), which has 4 mature technologies: Wysips® Crystal for screens, Wysips® Glass integrated into glazing, Wysips® Cameleon for signs and billboards, and Wysips® Graphics for connected objects.

Sunpartner Technologies has regularly received awards both for its innovation and from the business community, such as the Nobel Sustainability® Clean Tech Company award in 2013 and Technology Pioneer 2014 from the World Economic Forum. The company was also named one of the Top 100 Global Cleantech companies in 2014.

http://www.sunpartnertechnologies.com

Media Contact Sunpartner Technologies
Marion CHANSON
+33(0)6-15-71-16-76
[email protected]

SOURCE Sunpartner Technologies