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Consumer electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops typically require recharging once or twice a day and have limited battery life. Increasing adoption of and dependence on smartphones has led to consumers occasionally carrying conventional chargers, USBs, power packs, or solar chargers to sustain their devices throughout the day. These products are bulky, heavy, and expensive. New approaches are necessary to improve consumers' day-to-day experiences with charging their electronic devices. This paper explores the application of ambient light energy harvesting using a Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) solar cell to extend the battery life of smartphones. Different solar cell types, maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithms, and harvester ICs are analyzed in addition to smartphone user behavior model and standby/idle power consumption. Finally, the performance of a light energy …