Apple’s iPhone is the last flagship holdout when it comes to adopting USB-C connectors. While their iPad and MacBooks both have adopted the connection, the iPhone is still using Lightning. Apple would have you believe the reason for this is due to innovation. They’ve argued against using USB-C on the iPhone, telling the European Union that it would stifle innovation.
Rumors of USB-C coming to the iPhone have swirled for years, but Apple seems to be standing firm in not adopting it for its smartphone lineup. We speculate that Apple would lose billions of dollars in revenue charged to third-party accessory makers to license the use of Lightning technology and marketing.
So, here we are, waiting for Apple to make the leap to USB-C and none of us knows exactly when that could happen. Well, one person has waited long enough and decided to make it happen for himself.
In a YouTube Short titled “World’s First USB-C iPhone,” Ken Pillonel claims to have installed the component into the iPhone X, replacing Lightning in the process. In the video, the iPhone is said to receive power via the connection, as well as being able to handle data transfers over a USB-C cable.
In the description of the video, Pillonel says he reverse-engineered Apple’s C94 connector, in order to make a PCB with a female USB-C port. After the schematics were set in place, it then became a challenge to shrink it down and install it into an iPhone.
Pillonel has a blog dedicated to his project, and he has several other videos following his journey. So, we know it can be done; now you either have to do it yourself or wait for Apple to get off its duff.
