{"id":20942,"date":"2022-07-21T05:39:42","date_gmt":"2022-07-21T05:39:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/airpods-get-hacked-with-a-usb-c-port\/"},"modified":"2022-07-21T05:39:42","modified_gmt":"2022-07-21T05:39:42","slug":"airpods-get-hacked-with-a-usb-c-port","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/airpods-get-hacked-with-a-usb-c-port\/","title":{"rendered":"AirPods Get Hacked With a USB-C Port"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Apple’s AirPods are notorious for becoming e-waste when their batteries no longer hold a charge thanks to a design that makes them extremely hard to repair, but not impossible to repair, thanks to the efforts of Swiss hardware hacker Ken Pillonel<\/span> who’s shared his solutions online<\/span>.<\/p>\n

You might remember Ken Pillonel as the engineer who one-uppped Apple by hacking a fully-functional USB-C port<\/span> on an iPhone. That one-off creation went on to sell for over $86,000<\/span> at auction, while Pillonel continued to show off his hacking skills by downgrading an Android phone<\/span> with Apple’s proprietary Lightning port\u2014a truly cursed creation that he probably couldn’t pay someone to use.<\/p>\n

Pillonel’s latest target are the Apple AirPods wireless earbuds which Apple will simply replace if users start to experience charging or battery issues (assuming they’re under warranty) as a result of a design that makes opening their charging case to gain access to the battery without damaging it impossible. As Pillonel discovered, if you want to replace the charging case’s battery yourself, you need to come at it with a cutting tool to remove the outer case, destroying it in the process. <\/p>\n

Through some trial and error, Pillonel managed to design and 3D print a replacement outer sleeve for the case, and with the help of a resin 3D printer instead of one that uses a plastic filament extruder, it came out looking quite professional. But he didn’t stop there.<\/p>\n