Coming soon: World's first solar-powered mobile phone

A Japanese firm is launching a solar-powered waterproof mobile phone that can be entirely operated by exposure to sunlight.

The new phone is a sunlight-powered device, which will be sold by mobile phone company KDDI from June, reports The Telegraph.

Ten minutes of exposure to sunlight is sufficient for a one-minute call or to power the handset in standby mode for two hours.

The handset's 80percent battery can be recharged entirely by sunlight as a result of storage technology embedded in the front face of the phone, according to manufacturers.

Marketed as a "green" eco-friendly alternative to conventional mobile phone handsets, the company claims that the device's lack of dependence on standard electricity will help reduce carbon dioxide emission levels.