2026 TVs Could Get Self Charging Remotes

Epishine, a company known for solar cells designed for indoor lighting, says its technology is now being used in a new remote control for Google TV devices. As reported by 9to5Google, the remote uses rechargeable batteries instead of disposable ones, and the solar cells on both sides help keep it powered unless it stays hidden away in a dark place for too long.

The remote is produced by Ohsung Electronics, an official supplier of Google’s reference remotes. Manufacturers building Google TV streaming boxes or dongles can use these reference designs to speed up development, though they also have the option to create their own remotes. Walmart’s Onn devices are examples of products using these designs.

Epishine’s solar cells are made to work with low indoor light instead of direct sunlight. The new solar-powered model is called the G32 reference remote. It is not yet included with any Google TV products, and it is not available for purchase on its own.

Google already offers two reference remotes: the G10 with 22 buttons and the G20 with 38 buttons. Companies can adapt these designs to add quick-access buttons for streaming apps beyond common choices like Netflix and YouTube.

This is not the first remote to use solar technology. Hama introduced a universal remote with Exeger’s Powerfoyle solar cells last year, and Samsung released its own solar-powered TV remote years before. However, Google’s reference design may help smaller manufacturers adopt the feature more easily, meaning self-charging remotes could become more common thanks to Google’s implementation.