iPhone X outfitted with working USB-C port in spectacular DIY project

Just because Apple refuses to make the switch to USB-C on its phones doesn’t mean all users are left despaired. Enter Ken Pillonel - a Master’s degree student of robotics at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) who single-handedly converted a regular Lightning-equipped iPhone X into the first Apple smartphone with a USB-C port. He did so after a few months of work and recently shared the final working product in a YouTube Shorts video on his channel.

The video shows the phone with its modified charging port which manages to recognize a MacBook USB-C charger as a power source and also handles data transfer when connected to the laptop. The marvelous feat required reverse-engineering Apple’s C94 connector which allowed Pillonel to create a custom PCB with a female USB-C port.

USB-C on iPhone X (images: YouTube)

The initial concept was too large to fit inside the phone and required months of tinkering until the component was able to fit inside the iPhone enclosure and work properly. A full video detailing the process is in the works and will be posted on YouTube.