- A new iPhone case gives older Lightning models a USB-C port
- It supports fast charging ,and there are versions for most older iPhones
- The iPh0n3 case is available now and costs around $55 / £40 / AU£85
If you have an older iPhone that frustrates you with its dated Lightning port, an engineer has just come up with a nifty solution – a phone case that gives it a USB port instead.
The Swiss engineer Ken Pillonel, who runs the YouTube channel Exploring the Simulation, previously achieved internet fame in 2021 for making the first ever USB-C iPhone. While that iPhone X mod was more a proof-of-concept, his new ‘iPh0n3’ USB-C case is available to buy right now at the Obsoless store.
The case, made from Nylon 12 plastic, is available for most pre-iPhone 15 models, dating back to the iPhone XS and XR (and older models). It supports wireless and MagSafe charging, as well as fast charging and CarPlay.
The only drawback is that accessories that need power from the phone, like external storage or displays, unfortunately won’t work with the USB-C port, as they’re locked down to only work with Apple adapters.
But otherwise, the case can help bring your older iPhone into the dongle-free world of USB-C charging and accessories. The ‘iPh0n3’ case starts from 43.90 CHF (around $55 / £40 / AU£85) – and while quite a few models are already sold out, many are due back in stock by the end of August.
How it was built
While the USB-C iPhone case doesn’t functionally do much more than put a Lightning-to-USB-C adapter inside a case, the engineering process (explained in the video above) was more complex than you might think.
In Ken Pillonel’s attempts to solve the fast charging conundrum, he discovered that many existing Lightning adapters employ simple tricks that prevent them from working correctly with all USB-C cables.
Instead, his case uses various techniques, including parasitic powering, to help it detect which way your cable is plugged in, so it always supports 9V fast charging. Whether you’re looking to buy the case or not, the video is an interesting watch.
The ultimate aim of the project is to lure you away from an unnecessary iPhone upgrade by giving your older model USB-C connectivity. Naturally, it can’t lengthen the amount of time Apple will support your iPhone for (typically 7-8 years in terms of security updates), but it looks like a neat accessory that some will appreciate if they want to move to a Lightning-free life without upgrading their phone.