Infinix turned up at MWC 2025 with a few concept smartphones – one of which is a phone that passively charges itself using ambient light.

I was allowed to take Infinix’s concept device for some hands-on time (and its companion charging case). It’s an intriguing step towards sustainable tech, but there are still a few hurdles to clear before we start living the dream of infinite power. That said, I think the days of desperately searching for a charger might be numbered.

Let’s start with the big idea here. The phone uses something called SolarEnergy-Reserving Technology. That’s just a fancy way of saying it can turn indoor (which is particularly impressive) and outdoor light into power. The concept device I handled had a back panel lined with perovskite photovoltaic tech, which, in theory, should be better at capturing low-light energy than traditional solar cells.

There’s also an AI-powered system that fine-tunes energy collection in real-time, ensuring the phone is always sipping on some extra juice, no matter the lighting conditions. And if your existing phone is feeling left out, Infinix has also developed a solar-charging case that works via discreet contact points to transfer power. The case charges slightly slower, which is irksome when the max speed is already 2W – but we’re in the early days of this tech.

Now, the big question: does it actually work? Well, yes and no. During my brief time with it, I could see that the system was indeed picking up energy from indoor lights and the one sunny day I got outside, with a small UI indicator showing it was ‘charging’. However, the power trickles in at a maximum of 2W, which means you’re not exactly going to be topping up the battery at lightning speed.

Infinix told me to think of it more as an emergency boost rather than a full-on replacement for your charger. But I’m not sure I want to rely on a system that takes hours to charge my phone in an emergency. On a sunny day, it might add a few hours of standby time, but if you were hoping to leave your plug at home forever, that’s still wishful thinking.

Another interesting addition is the ‘Sunflower’ Wireless Charging tech. Inspired by heliotropic plants (which naturally turn towards the sun), this system adjusts the power transmission path based on lighting conditions and device position. In practice? It’s hard to say just yet. The concept sounds clever, but I’d need to see it work outside a controlled demo before getting too excited.

Beyond the phone itself, I think the solar case is where this technology could really shine. Over the years (particularly with foldables), we’ve seen that snazzy features aren’t enough to make people ditch the smartphones they already love. So a separate case that adds passive charging to your existing phone is a much easier sell than an entirely new device.

The case isn’t even that bulky, which is impressive considering the tech inside. While solar power banks are commonly available to buy, they’re cumbersome and can’t be used out and about with ease.

Theoretically, Infinix could bring this to more phones in the future (the brand confirmed it would consider making the cases for non-Infinix devices), though I suspect the price would be eye-watering.

This concept is far more practical than most flashy MWC reveals. Unlike tri-fold phones that cost more than a small car or AI gimmicks that nobody actually asked for, a solar-powered smartphone (or at least a solar-charging case) could be genuinely useful. You could argue it’s a bad habit, but I regularly put my phone down on any desk or table that I sit at. With this light-charging tech from Infinix, that would actually give me some extra juice in my phone.

Infinix isn’t saying when (or if) this will become a consumer product, but it’s clear they’re serious about making it work. And honestly? I really hope they do. If future iterations can boost the speeds up from 2W, even just to 5W, I think this tech could be a winner.