AirPods mod ditches Lightning port for USB-C

Image: Ken Pillonel

Ken Pillonel, an engineering student, has followed up his mod for the iPhone with a modified pair of AirPods that have ausb-c port for charging. It was an engineering challenge that consumed most of my weekends for a few months, it comes around a month after he completed a project.

Pillonel plans to release a full-length video explaining the project in the coming weeks, but for now he has put out a short clip showing his modified AirPods being charged with the same cable as a MacBook and his previously modified phone. He plans to open source the project like he did with the iPhone.

In an email, Pillonel explains that he started by creating a proof-of-concept without regard to the appearance, before gradually refining his work to fit inside Apple's case. The student says he was able to bend the PCB to fit into the AirPods case after he designed a custom flexible PCB. In photos, the native Lightning port is integrated with theusb-c port.

Apple has a number of different charging methods for its laptops and tablets, but it still ships Lightning ports on its smaller and more portable devices, including its mouse, keyboard, and earbuds. It means that anyone who buys into Apple's products can get away with just one charging cable. There is little stopping Apple from changing to a more convenient universal charging standard, a choice that probably has something to do with the control the proprietary Lightning interface gives Apple.

Image: Ken Pillonel

EU regulators are trying to change things with new legislation that they hope will force companies like Apple to use the universalusb-c charging standard on phones, tablets, and headphones, with the aim of reducing e-waste. Until such legislation comes into force, Pillonel's are the best we're going to get.