CES 2022: Samsung's new Eco Remotes draw power from radio waves
No sun for solar charging? No problem.
Samsung's new 2022 Eco Remote for TVs.
Samsung's TV remotes have been making some major eco-friendly strides in recent years. Last year the electronics giant added a solar panel to the back so the remote can charge from the sun while sitting in your living room, and now it's taking things a step further. For 2022 the company added a new feature for its controllers: radio frequency harvesting.
Announced alongside Samsung's latest TV updates, the remote will still be able to draw power from the sun during the day but will also pull small amounts of power from radio waves from things like your Wi-Fi router. Samsung says this RF harvesting should allow you to continually keep your remote fully charged whether you're watching TV during the day or at night (or presumably if you keep your TV in an area with little sunlight).
As with the prior remote, the new Eco Remote will be made with a "recycled material design." It will also be available in a new white color in addition to last year's black.
The remote will have a minimalist design with a microphone for voice control and shortcuts for Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video and Samsung's TV Plus.
Samsung says that the new remote will be included with all of its 2022 TVs.