This Could Work: Microsoft Wants Surface Kickstand to Feature Solar Panels

The Surface device lineup has often spearheaded Microsoft’s innovation push in the hardware sector, and judging from a patent discovered recently, the software giant has no intention to change this direction in the long term.

The patent, which describes a “mobile device cover with integrated solar panel,” essentially comes down to an add-on that could essentially boost the battery life of a Surface device: solar panels.

Microsoft explains in the documentation that the solar panels could be placed on the integrated kickstand, technically using space that is otherwise wasted.

The company provides the following description in the patent documentation:

“A cover for a mobile device includes solar panels and an integrated keyboard. The solar panels are positioned on a stand of the cover and an angle associated with the solar panels can be changed so as to maximize input...