Enlarge / He's also selling AirPods Pro cases modded to use USB-C. (credit: Exploring the Simulation/YouTube)
AirPods are a convenient accessory... until the charging case breaks. Functioning earpieces are useless without a case to juice them up. And as one user has detailed, Apple would rather you buy a whole new case than fix the one you have. Well, considering the e-waste the planet's drowning in and the premium price of Apple's wireless headphones, that's an inconvenient truth. But now if you're willing to break your warranty and put your faith in the hands of a clever tech tinkerer, you can get the printed circuit board (PCB) needed to replace the battery in your AirPods Pro case and give it a USB-C port while you're at it.
The mod comes from Ken Pillonel's Exploring the Simulation YouTube channel. Pillonel's the same guy who brought you an Android phone with a Lightning port and an iPhone with USB-C. About six months ago, he also posted a video demoing how to make a PCB and 3D-printed case for repairing the first- and second-generation AirPods and equipping them with USB-C.
On Wednesday, Pillonel brought his mad genius to the AirPods Pro. The DIYer has shared on GitHub how to 3D-print an AirPods Pro case, since it's hard to open the things for repair without breaking them.
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source https://arstechnica.com/?p=1916459