Researchers reduce smartphone power use by over 70 per cent

Finnish experts develop device that sits between the phone and the network.

This network proxy works as a passageway for smartphones to connect to the internet and handle most of the data transfer.

This, will in turn save up to 74 per cent of battery power consumption, according to Physorg.

Developing countries have been slow in adopting mobile internet due to the large energy requirements but the researchers behind the device look to change this.

Professor Jukka Manner from Aalto University, said: "This new solution is particularly valuable in developing countries because it provides significantly more effective Internet access to a much larger number of people.

"At the moment, only a small percent can access the Internet from a wired connection, but 90 per cent of the African population lives in areas with mobile phone network coverage. Mobile phone usage is increasing rapidly, however the use of mobile Internet services is hindered by users not having access to the power grid to recharge their phones."