Apple has been criticized incessantly for deliberately making the AirPods and the AirPods’ charging case difficult to repair, which only means consumers have little choice but to spend more money on a brand new case or a pair of earphones. Ken Pillonel, a modder and an engineer, who is best known for making the world’s first iPhone X with a USB-C port, has shared his journey on how he made an easily replaceable AirPods case battery, and to no one’s surprise, the entire process was more arduous than one could imagine.

Modder has to re-create each component of the AirPods Pro charging case before modifying them to be held together by screws

In his YouTube video, Ken Pillonel appears to be a solid Right-to-Repair advocate who believes that consumer electronics should have easily replaceable parts instead of just adding more waste to landfills. Thanks to the success and confidence attained through his previous projects, the engineer set out to alter the AirPods Pro charging case, but it was easier than done.

“I am deeply concerned about the prevailing trend in the consumer electronics industry. Most gadgets are designed without repairability in mind, unlike the durable technology of the past that seemed built to last. It is troubling to see design choices like non-replaceable batteries, glued-in components, and a lack of transparency in public information leading to the rise of ‘fast electronics.’

In response, I (Ken Pillonel) am taking on a significant project to demonstrate how one of the most popular gadgets today - Apple’s AirPods Pro - could have been easily made repairable with minimal effort. My primary objective is to encourage consumers to be more mindful of their choices and to motivate manufacturers to prioritize sustainability.”

While the two earbuds are not yet replaceable, Pillonel re-created each AirPods Pro charging case component before modifying them and holding them down using screws instead of adhesive. The mods make it easier to get inside the charging case and swap out the battery compared to glue, and there are fewer chances of breaking it too. The best part is that there is no soldering required.

Of course, Pillonel’s project is far from perfect because to actually get access to the battery, you still need to have your screw kit in your possession and perform the procedure, as there is no way to hot-swap the cell. Also, remember that replacing the battery is only possible on the first-generation AirPods Pro, as the engineer cannot open the charging case of the second-generation model without breaking it.

Despite these setbacks, this modification could be the start of something incredible, as Pillonel has publicly shared the schematics with anyone brave enough to attempt this project themselves. You can check out all the details in the video above and the schematics, and let us know what you think.

News Source: Ken Pillonel