Revolutionary: The iPhone with Lightning connector is back

David Lee

1/4/2026

Translation: machine translated

Since 2023, iPhones have also been using a USB-C socket. That doesn't suit everyone. Thanks to a Swiss invention, the Lightning connector is now back.

In 2021, engineer Ken Pillonel from western Switzerland gave the iPhone a USB-C port. Now he's doing the opposite: iPhones with USB-C can charge with the good old Lightning connector again.

This doesn't help, but it has been widely demanded. Perhaps it's a matter of principle. After all, Apple didn't switch to USB-C voluntarily, but was forced to do so by the evil, evil EU. We no longer have to put up with this paternalism. You can guess where this is going: Today it's the Lightning connector, tomorrow they want to ban us from using Internet Explorer 6 and in the end they want us to do without the Windows Start menu. It really doesn't work like that.

Good thing there are still upright Swiss people like Ken Pillonel. In just a few days, he designed a case that also serves as a Lightning adapter. And he even built a working prototype. He shows exactly how in his video.

David Lee

Senior Editor

David.Lee@digitecgalaxus.ch

My interest in IT and writing landed me in tech journalism early on (2000). I want to know how we can use technology without being used. Outside of the office, I’m a keen musician who makes up for lacking talent with excessive enthusiasm.

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