Digicel announced the launch of a new solar-powered handset at MWC 2009 this week called the Coral-200-Solar. The handset has solar panels on the rear of the phone. The company has been providing free and low cost solar chargers with phones it sells for a while but this is the first handset to integrate solar panels into the design.

Very little is known about the features and specifications of the handset other than it is powered by the sun. It would be safe to assume that the handset is very basic and likely has call features only to ensure low power needs.

Digicel serves many rural areas in developing countries where access to electricity is limited. The handset is expected to launch in select markets in June. I think that the device would be appealing to consumers in the US who are away from electricity for extended periods as well.

Via Digicel