Apple was working on self-charging, cellular base stations before axing AirPort

Apple was working on Wi-Fi or cellular base stations that keep themselves charged and powered without either mains, or human intervention — and which can rejoin the network after a loss of power.

Apple Park's solar panel roof. The company is looking at ways to better use energy-harvesting devices even at much smaller scale
It doesn't sound like a very difficult technical problem. If you've regularly got bright sunlight, popping a solar panel on to a cellular base station, seems a sensible, practical and even green thing to do. It doesn't even have to be solar power, devices could be driven by the wind.

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