Are you ready for a solar powered iPad or iPhone? The engineers at Apple have apparently been working on it for some time. A patent application recently surfaced from Apple showing a possible technology embedding solar cells underneath the touch screens of handheld devices.

This patent, filed in 2008, looks to combine the sensors of a solar cell and multitouch screen in a single "stack." These cells would be charged by light channels that direct the light under the touchscreen to a solar cell, and could lead to a double-sided solar panel that absorbs light through the top and also a glass-covered backing.