YouTuber provides iPhone 13 with lossless USB-C functionality

A YouTuber has equipped an iPhone 13 with a USB-C connection, without losing any functions. The modified device can charge quickly and is still waterproof. In a video he shows in detail how he managed to do this.

Australian Josh of Restore Technique used the C94 circuit board from an Apple Lightning to USB-C cable, the waterproof USB-C port from a Samsung Galaxy A52, and a homemade circuit board to get the USB-C port working on iPhone 13. He shows the process in detail on YouTube in a video of almost 16 minutes.

The end result is an iPhone 13 with a USB-C port that is indistinguishable from new. The USB-C cable can be plugged in on both sides, fast charging works with 23W, there is support for data transfer and updating via the cable. The device is also still waterproof. The USB-C iPhone therefore has no disadvantages compared to an original one with Lightning connector.

It is not the first time that someone has equipped an iPhone with a USB-C connection. A master’s student of Robotics previously did this with an iPhone X and published extensive documentation. He also provided an Android phone with a Lightning connector.

Apple is expected to make the switch to USB-C itself in the coming years. The company is said to be testing internally with iPhones with a USB-C connection, which will be released in 2023 at the earliest. From 2024, the use of USB-C in smartphones, among other things, will be mandatory in Europe.

Update, 1:43 PM: The iPhone 13 was modified by a modder from the YouTube channel Restore Technique and not by Ken Pillonel, as the article erroneously stated. The article has been adapted accordingly.

Images from YouTube video of Restore Technique