Google just made losing TV remotes in couch cushions slightly less annoying. The tech giant's new G32 reference remote features solar cells on both sides that keep it powered indefinitely through indoor lighting, potentially eliminating the need for disposable batteries across millions of streaming devices. The move signals Google's push toward sustainable consumer electronics while making life easier for manufacturers and users alike.
Google is quietly revolutionizing one of the most frustrating aspects of home entertainment - dead remote batteries. The company just announced its G32 reference remote design that features dual-sided solar cells, marking a significant shift toward sustainable consumer electronics that could impact millions of streaming devices.
The breakthrough comes through a partnership with Swedish company Epishine, whose solar cell technology is specifically optimized for indoor lighting rather than direct sunlight. According to 9to5Google's reporting, the remote relies on rechargeable batteries that get continuously topped up by ambient light, theoretically eliminating the need for battery replacements entirely.
What makes this particularly significant is Google's reference remote ecosystem. The G32 is manufactured by Ohsung Electronics, Google's official reference remote supplier, and follows the same blueprint that's already powering millions of devices. Companies making Google TV streaming boxes can either design custom remotes from scratch or use Google's pre-built designs as shortcuts to market - and many choose the latter.
Walmart's popular Onn streaming devices, for example, ship with remotes based on Google's reference designs. This means the solar technology could quickly scale across the streaming device market without requiring individual manufacturers to develop their own sustainable solutions.
The G32 builds on Google's existing remote lineup, which includes the G10 with 22 buttons and G20 with 38 buttons. But manufacturers can still customize these designs to add quick-access buttons for streaming platforms beyond the standard Netflix and YouTube shortcuts.
While Google isn't the first to experiment with solar remotes, it's positioned to make the biggest impact. Samsung launched its own solar remote for its TVs years ago, and Hama announced a universal remote using Exeger's Powerfoyle technology last year. But those were limited to specific brands or niche products.
Google's approach is different - by baking solar technology into its reference designs, it's making sustainable remotes accessible to any company building Google TV devices. That includes major retailers like Walmart and smaller manufacturers who rely on Google's blueprints to get products to market faster.
The timing aligns with broader industry pressure around electronic waste and sustainability. Traditional TV remotes burn through millions of disposable batteries annually, creating both environmental waste and consumer frustration. Solar-powered alternatives could eliminate both problems while actually improving the user experience.
Epishine's indoor-optimized solar cells are key to making this practical. Unlike traditional solar panels that need direct sunlight, these cells generate power from the lower-lux lighting found in living rooms and bedrooms. The dual-sided design means the remote can charge whether it's face-up or face-down on a coffee table.
There's one catch - the G32 isn't shipping with any Google TV devices yet, and consumers can't buy it separately. It's currently a reference design that manufacturers can choose to implement, meaning adoption will depend on how many companies decide the technology is worth integrating.
Google's solar remote represents more than just a convenience upgrade - it's a glimpse of how major tech companies can drive sustainability through their ecosystem influence. By embedding solar technology into reference designs that manufacturers already use, Google could eliminate millions of disposable batteries from the waste stream while solving a universal consumer pain point. The real test will be whether device makers embrace the technology and how quickly it reaches store shelves. But if adoption follows the pattern of Google's previous reference remotes, we could see solar-powered streaming remotes become the norm rather than the exception within the next year.
