Nokia: No Fuel Cell Powered Phones Yet

Finnish phone maker Nokia scrapped plans for handsets to be powered by fuel cells, according to press reports Friday. The company originally had said it was expecting to bring fuel cell powered phones and accessories to the market within a year or two, but the technology is not "mature" enough, Nokia says.

Nokia's fuel cell technology uses methanol. However, the company was unable to find a consistent supplier of the gas, and current air traffic regulations prohibit methanol on board flights unless it is in protective packaging.

A fuel cell phone would eliminate the need to charge the phone using an electrical cord, rather the user would refill the phone similar to the way a refillable lighter is used.

A spokesman for Nokia said that the technology is still promising and the company "will follow it closely."

The announcement may come as a surprise to some, as Nokia in mid-2004 demonstrated a hands-free headset that was methanol-powered. At that time, the company said the technology was mature enough and a commercial release could not be more than two years away.