Android Phone With Fully Functioning Lightning Port Becomes Engineer's Latest Project - MacRumors
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Android Phone With Fully Functioning Lightning Port Becomes Engineer's Latest Project

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Following a trend of enthusiasts successfully switching the iPhone's Lightning port for a USB-C port, engineer Ken Pillonel has added a functional Lightning port to a Samsung Galaxy A51.

Pillonel was the first to gain notoriety for modifying an iPhone X to add a functional USB-C port, which went on to sell for over $86,000 at auction. His latest project sought to achieve the inverse and add a Lightning port to a Galaxy A51, including charging and data transfer functionality.

Pillonel told Engadget that the project was "a complex modification that required some out-of-the-box thinking."

The Lightning cables sold by Apple are not "dumb." They will only charge Apple devices. So I had to find a way to trick the cable into thinking it was plugged into an Apple device. And the whole thing needs to fit inside the phone, which is another challenge in itself.

Pillonel admitted that "the quality of the finished product is nowhere near what it was for the iPhone," but he doesn't expect "anyone in their right mind" to want to do this to their device. "It was for fun, I just wanted to see if I could do it," he explained, adding that such projects serve as a great example of what can be achieved with devices, even without the help of the companies that originally made them.

Pillonel plans to release a full-length explanation video about the Galaxy A51's conversion from USB-C to Lightning on his YouTube channel soon.

Tags: Android, Lightning

Top Rated Comments

WiiDSmoker Avatar
WiiDSmoker
52 months ago
USB C to lightning? It’s like going from a car back to a horse and buggy
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
navier Avatar
navier
52 months ago
The worst of both worlds finally united.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
A
AlexESP
52 months ago

USB C to lightning? It’s like going from a car back to a horse and buggy
The only upside of USB-C (3* really) is speed. All the rest (durability, waterproofing, size…) are downsides. For a phone (especially when very few people use wired data transfer) it’s very reasonable to think that Lightning is “the car”.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Starscape Avatar
Starscape
52 months ago
Jeez, a lightning port. That’s an impressive downgrade.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
W
Waxhead138
52 months ago
April Fools Perhaps? Alot of work for it.....the video and all :)
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Krizoitz Avatar
Krizoitz
52 months ago

I really don't understand the Android hate.

The only functional difference is the ease of integration Apple offers, which is why I use an iPhone now after almost a decade on Android.

And there are things about Android I still miss, but for me ecosystem IS the juice.
If someone prefers to use Android it doesn’t bother me, to each their own. Android absolutely offers things iOS doesn’t and for some people those things matter.

But there are far more differences than ease of integration.

Speed for one
OS upgrade support and longevity
Durability
UI smoothness
Smoother digital payment
Significantly superior security
User privacy priority
And lightning, which is superior to USB-C in every area except maximum speed

Plus the more subjective things like UI, services like AppleOne, etc.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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