A TikTok user named Yang Changshun has taken it upon himself to modify their iPhone 13 Pro Max in a rather extreme way. While the modifications doubld the thickness of the phone, Changshun’s mods add a second battery, two cooling fans, a USB Type-C port, boosted speakers and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
iPhone Modding Community
While there is a rather vibrant iPhone modding community, typically modders stick to software modifications or replacing internal parts. Using older phones is also more common, as parts are more accessible and the software potentially more malleable. What makes Yang Changshun’s modifications so exciting and extreme is that he is using brand new hardware and going well beyond simple aesthetic revisions.
Changshun’s mods may have been influenced by a DIY YouTuber named Kenni Pillonel. A Swiss robotics student, Pillonel installed a USB Type-C port into an iPhone X in 2021. In a video on YouTube, the modder shows off that the iPhone X successfully charges and can even transfer files with the USB Type-C mod. The YouTuber did not provide a statement on the speeds of transferring and charging.
Modifying the iPhone X is not easy. Getting USB Type-C into an iPhone required Pillonel to reverse-engineer the Apple C94 connector, as well as make his own custom PCB with a USB C port.
Returning to Changshun’s iPhone modifications, this monstrous iPhone 13 Pro Max has double the battery life. In thanks to the extra width, the modded iPhone 13 Pro Max can also offer a retro 3.5mm audio port. Changshun also shows in an AnTuTu benchmark that the modified cooling system provides better speeds.
An Extreme How-To
For those who speak Mandarin, Changshun has posted a series of videos going through the rather lengthy process. In a series stretching across three videos, viewers can watch the iPhone 13 Pro Max go from a standard Apple machine to something else entirely.
The final results do look physically perplexing. Still, the reports of improved battery life and speeds make for an interesting mod. Doing this modification at home may be a bit of a challenge. Either way, Changshun deserves massive props for completing this project.
For those who want to get into iPhone modding, it may be wise to dip a toe into the water than jump in head first. Opening your iPhone obviously voids all warranties. You may not want to start modding a phone that you use as your daily driver.
You can view Yang Changshun’s TikTok (Douyin in China) modifications here.