We’ve all plopped down on the couch, ready to binge our favorite TV shows, only to reach over and find the remote needs new batteries at some point. Samsung has a new plan to eliminate the need for batteries in its TV remotes forever. It has shown off a new solar-power TV remote for its 2021 line of TVs.
The remote is called the Samsung Eco-Remote Control and visually looks just like any other Samsung TV remote. The difference comes on the back, where instead of a sliding door for the battery compartment, there’s a small solar panel. The solar panel keeps the internal batteries charged.
Those internal batteries last a very long time. Samsung says a full charge is good for up to two years of use. The good news for those who might watch TV in a room that doesn’t get much sunlight is that the remote will charge from outdoor or indoor light sources. Samsung does cover all of its bases and offers a USB port that can be used to top the remote up if needed.
The remote control body is made of 20 percent recycled PET plastic finished to look like black metal. The new remote will come with all Samsung 2021 QLED 4K and 8K TVs. The real question is, how many people out there use the remote control that comes with their TV?
I’ve not used the remote the cam with my Samsung TV more than a handful of times in all the years I’ve owned it. Previously, I used the universal remote that went with my cable TV box because it had all of the buttons needed to control the DVR. Currently, I use the remote that goes with my Fire TV streaming stick after cutting the cord. A slick solar remote from Samsung won’t do a lot of people any good.