Last week we reported that British scientists have outfitted an iPhone with a prototype hydrogen fuel cell battery that allowed the phone to last a week before needing charging. That is very impressive, but could that technology be taken and applied to laptops as well? It turns out that Apple has had a similar idea.
A recently discovered patent filed by Apple has revealed that the Cupertino company is exploring a fuel cell system for the MacBook. The goal? To allow the laptop to be used without the need to be plugged into power for days or even weeks on end. Safe to say that this system would allow users to bring their laptops with them even on travel without worrying about battery life.
However just like the previous experiment with the iPhone, these fuel cells will need to be replenished once they have depleted. According to the patent, Apple is exploring the idea of using removable cartridges. While this is an interesting idea, we’re not so sure about the convenience of cartridges versus the ability to just plug your laptop into a power outlet and let it charge.
There’s no telling if and when Apple will actually implement such technology to their MacBooks. However if earlier reports are to be believed, Apple is apparently interested in the hydrogen fuel cell tech used in the iPhone experiment, so maybe they will find some way to bring it to the MacBook in the future as well.