Samsung working on fuel cell-powered mobile phone

[Giovanni Dimitropoulos]

With the growing additions of megapixel cameras, flash, music playback, and mobile television on a number of cellular phones these days, conventional batteries have had a hard time keeping up because of the increased draw on power.

In an effort not only to “go green”, so to speak, but to provide consumers with a product that actually lasts long enough to enjoy its full functionality, Samsung Electronics of Korea has inked an exclusive deal with MTI MicroFuel Cells of Albany, New York to work on implementing fuel cell batteries into future mobile phones. This deal is said to be worth in the neighbourhood of $1 million dollars, and is the first major contract of its kind to move the cellular phone industry toward fuel cell technology.

They’re saying that fuel cells “last longer” and “are more eco-friendly.” Maybe so, but I’m thinking the bigger motivation behind this deal is so that Samsung can pump out another handset tagged with the “World’s First” line.