Ken Pillonel, a robotics engineering student, wowed the world last month when he created a wild hack to install a USB-C port into an iPhone X. This allowed for a fully functioning USB-C iPhone. Pillonel now has a much more detailed video of how he pulled off the hack. He also includes a Github repository that contains technical details and CNC instructions.
This 13-minute video explains the details of Pillonels mod. It is simple in theory. You combine a Lightning-to-USB-C connection with a daisy chain in order to imitate a USB-C port.
This video shows the entire development process. It was quite an adventure, from creating proof of concept prototypes to reverse engineering the Lightning connector (and finally, reverse engineering a fake Lightning plug), ordering a custom flexible board and then modifying the iPhone's case to fit the larger USB-C connector.
This video shows how hard it was to add the circuitry. The board bends around the hardware of Apple's Taptic Engine to get all the components in.
Pillonel will also be auctioning his original prototype on eBay. Bidding reached $3,400 at the time this article was published. This is for anyone who has deep pockets and is interested in owning a USB-C iPhone. Pillonel warns that the buyer of the phone should not restore, update, erase, open, or use it for daily purposes.
Pillonel also made the entire project open-source so others could build on his work. This includes making custom USB-C iPhone X models, or porting the design onto other iPhones. However, the complete PCB design will not be available until after the auction ends. Pillonel also stated that he intends to continue improving the design with the goals of waterproofing and fast-charging.
