At Mobile World Congress 2025’s Showstoppers event, Infinix showed off a couple of concept phones. One of them is practical and has a built-in solar panel on the back, whereas the other includes a customizable back that you can design with AI. The latter is fun and more personal, and I want it to be a part of the solar back panel concept phone and launch soon.
The SolarEnergy-Reserving technology from Infinix uses perovskite solar cells, which are thinner and cheaper to produce than traditional silicon solar cells. To keep the heat under control, these cells are paired with a Maximum Power Point Tracking system that helps regulate the voltage to manage heat while maximizing power.
There’s no fast charging on Infinix’s new concept tech as of now. It charges at 2 watts, which is pretty slow by 2025 standards. It doesn’t constantly charge your device in the sun—the built-in solar panel can store charge and release it to the phone when needed.
Infinix says this tech can be adopted for use cases beyond smartphones but could also be a useful feature on future smartphones—if it can uphold the promise of “intelligent safeguard with high-temp endurance.” The company also showcased a case with a built-in solar panel that can be paired with a phone to charge it.
The second concept phone includes Infinix’s next-gen E-Color Shift Technology. For context, the first version changed the back color when you plugged in the phone, but now it uses internal battery power to customize the rear panel with patterns, colors, and more.
Infinix showcased an app that I used to play around with the patterns. It takes a few seconds to register the changes, but the e-color back panel delivers what you need. You can also choose a photo, extract a color from it, and set it to change with the weather. It’s a cool concept that has been in prototype stages for a while now.
There’s no word on when or if Infinix will release either of these concepts for consumers. I, for one, would love to have a built-in solar panel charging case on an e-color shift back phone, so I can top up the power when needed and swap it out for a personalized look in social settings.