It’s no secret that Apple is slowly moving away from the Lightning connector and adopting USB-C after the European Union forced its adoption. Many accessories, iPads, and even iPhones now use USB-C, but AirPods Max are still stuck in the lightning world. But engineer Ken Pillonel, who brought USB-C to iPhone and AirPods before Apple, created a USB-C connector for headphones.
Pillonel found it easy to remove the Lightning connector, leaving a perfectly sized hole for the USB-C cable. He then designed a custom circuit board and found the right connectors to make it all work. Pillonel charged AirPods Max via USB-C on his first try.
Unfortunately, wired USB-C audio is not available in this mode. Pillonel points out that doing so requires a chip from Apple’s own adapter, which costs $35. If so, you may want to consider purchasing a USB-C headset. So this mode is only really worth it if you want to charge your AirPods Max via USB-C. That means less reason to carry around a Lightning cable.
AirPods Max are three years old and probably need an upgrade. All future models will likely include a USB-C connector that complies with EU regulations. However, if you want to tinker with your existing headphones (or even replace a broken Lightning connector), you can download the circuit design and buy all the other parts you need. It’s all explained in Pillonel’s YouTube video description, and instructions are available on his website. Alternatively, you can purchase the kit directly from the Pillonel store.