TL;DR Apple finally moved to USB-C for its smartphones in 2023, with the iPhone 15 series.
While earlier models use Apple’s own Lightning port for charging and data transfers, USB adapters exist.
Engineer Ken Pillonel has now built a low-profile USB-C adapter right into an iPhone case.
Apple has been successful enough to get away with doing things its own way for years, and for the longest time, that meant that using its mobile hardware meant interfacing through some proprietary connectors. From the days of the awkward 30-pin dock, we progressed to the reversible Lighting era, but government pressure would eventually convince Apple to start making the shift over to USB-C, leading with iPads before shipping the iPhone 15 as its first USB-C smartphone.
That change had been a long time coming, but we could not be happier to finally live in a world where the same cable charges all of our gear — at least, our newer gear. What do you do if you’ve still got an older Apple handset that’s still kicking, but you’d like to fully move on from Lightning?
Enter: Ken Pillonel. The engineer’s been somewhat obsessed with the idea of custom-fit cases for Apple’s old iPhone lineup that modernize the hardware through the addition of a USB-C port (via Engadget). After first tackling some USB-C solutions for AirPods, he set out to upgrade his one-off iPhone USB-C design to something that could be mass produced.
Some simple circuitry helped Pillonel overcome challenges getting the USB cable to charge at maximum speed even when reversed. With that PCB designed, he could turn his attention to crafting a minimalistic case to house it. That said, he does manage to squeeze in a few small quality-of-life enhancements, like an indentation to store a backup SIM card and the option to connect a lanyard.
The end result supports fast charging, data transfers, and even works with MagSafe. Really the only big limitation is that you can’t use the USB-C port to power accessories using the phone as your battery.
If you’re looking to add a little more life to your iPhone 14 (or 13, or 12…), check out Pillonel’s store where he’s got options available for Apple’s past few generations. Some of those are sold out, and others communicate specific shipping ETAs, so make sure you double-check at the details specific to your particular iPhone.
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