Modder Fits Headphone Jack into iPhone 7 Using Custom Flexible Circuit

Strange Parts

Relocating internal components and embedding a custom switching circuit demonstrates the iPhone 7 has sufficient internal clearance to house a functional 3.5mm headphone jack without altering the chassis profile.

AI-assisted summary of Bringing BACK The iPhone Headphone Jack - in China — original source. Check the original for full context.

Source published: 2017-09-06

Key ideas

• Scotty from Strange Parts successfully retrofits a working 3.5mm headphone jack inside an iPhone 7 after four months of prototyping, seven circuit revisions, and disassembling three phones. (0:00)
• Internal space was cleared by shifting the battery upward, rotating the Taptic Engine 90 degrees, removing a plastic internal bracket, and shaving down the headphone jack assembly. (3:24)
• Because raw analog audio is not exposed on the iPhone 7 logic board, the mod embeds Apple's official Lightning-to-3.5mm adapter circuitry paired with a custom switching multiplexer to toggle between charging and audio. (6:13)
• Miniaturization required transitioning from rigid fiberglass test boards to a custom dual-layer flexible PCB (polyimide) manufactured in Shenzhen and hand-assembled with BGA components under hot air. (16:15)
• The entire hardware project was open-sourced to encourage right-to-repair practices and allow Huaqiangbei technicians to refine the retrofit. (31:10)

Detailed notes

## Background Published by Scotty on the YouTube channel Strange Parts on September 6, 2017, this video chronicles a four-month engineering journey to re-engineer an iPhone 7 with a functioning 3.5mm headphone jack in Shenzhen, China. According to the description, the project spanned seven custom circuit board iterations and three disassembled phones to build the world's only modern iPhone featuring a built-in analog headphone port, with the design released entirely open-source.

## TL;DR Frustrated by Apple's removal of the headphone jack, Scotty travels to the Huaqiangbei electronics ecosystem in Shenzhen to physically and electrically integrate a 3.5mm audio port into an iPhone 7. He disassembles an official Lightning-to-headphone adapter, incorporates an active USB switching chip to balance charging with audio playback, and designs a custom flexible printed circuit board (FPC) that fits around internal components like the Taptic Engine and battery. After manufacturing the flex boards in a local factory, hand-soldering microscopic BGA chips under hot air, and using a desktop CNC mill guided by an Xbox controller to bore a clean aperture in the aluminum frame, he overcomes multiple shattered display assemblies. Ultimately, he achieves a fully assembled iPhone 7 that plays audio, supports inline remote controls, and seamlessly fast-charges via Lightning without compromising its factory form factor.

## Atmosphere & style The video carries an earnest, gritty, maker-documentary tone that balances the sensory bustle of Shenzhen's industrial alleys with the isolating intensity of micro-soldering late at night. Scotty acts as an approachable, self-deprecating guide who shares candid moments of genuine panic and fatigue—such as accidentally destroying fragile adapters and cracking multiple costly screens under vertical pressure. The pacing moves from speculative curiosity and benchtop troubleshooting into a stressful emotional trough before delivering a deeply satisfying, celebratory payoff that champions user hardware autonomy and the right to repair.

## Bulletin - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA&t=0s) Scotty from Strange Parts successfully retrofits a working 3.5mm headphone jack inside an iPhone 7 after four months of prototyping, seven circuit revisions, and disassembling three phones. - [03:24](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA&t=204s) Internal space was cleared by shifting the battery upward, rotating the Taptic Engine 90 degrees, removing a plastic internal bracket, and shaving down the headphone jack assembly. - [06:13](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA&t=373s) Because raw analog audio is not exposed on the iPhone 7 logic board, the mod embeds Apple's official Lightning-to-3.5mm adapter circuitry paired with a custom switching multiplexer to toggle between charging and audio. - [16:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA&t=975s) Miniaturization required transitioning from rigid fiberglass test boards to a custom dual-layer flexible PCB (polyimide) manufactured in Shenzhen and hand-assembled with BGA components under hot air. - [31:10](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA&t=1870s) The entire hardware project was open-sourced to encourage right-to-repair practices and allow Huaqiangbei technicians to refine the retrofit.

## Key takeaways - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA&t=0s) Viral internet methods claiming an iPhone 7 headphone jack could be drilled out with a power drill are destructive memes that ruin devices. - [06:13](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA&t=373s) The iPhone 7 interior contains no factory analog audio test pads, preventing simple direct wiring to the logic board. - [01:21](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA&t=81s) Removing the plastic lower-left bracket (described by Apple/iFixit as a barometric vent) reveals enough clearance to fit a 3.5mm jack barrel. - [03:24](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA&t=204s) Internal clearances require moving the Taptic Engine into a 90-degree sideways orientation and pushing the battery flush against the logic board. - [06:13](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA&t=373s) Apple's official Lightning-to-3.5mm audio adapter is decapsulated and integrated directly into the internal circuitry to process DAC audio. - [09:52](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA&t=592s) A high-speed USB multiplexer/switching chip is added to allow the phone to switch between audio output and normal Lightning charging. - [12:27](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA&t=747s) Rapid benchtop validation using oversized rigid breakout PCBs confirmed the logic switching before committing to micro-scale packaging. - [16:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA&t=975s) Paper mockups laminated with clear tape served as rapid physical prototypes to test folding geometries before fabricating custom flex circuits. - [17:43](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA&t=1063s) Industrial flexible PCB production relies on a polyimide core, automated multi-spindle drilling, chemical copper plating, acid etching, and bed-of-nails continuity testing. - [20:37](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA&t=1237s) Surface tension during hot-air reflow soldering automatically centers microscopic BGA components onto flex PCB footprints when airflow is strictly controlled. - [24:51](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA&t=1491s) CNC desktop milling guided by an Xbox 360 controller via Mach3 software enabled precise, repeatable chassis milling for the headphone aperture. - [26:33](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA&t=1593s) Sub-millimeter vertical stack-up clearance was the most punishing mechanical hurdle, cracking two separate display assemblies during reassembly. - [30:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA&t=1800s) The completed headphone jack fully supports standard iOS audio features, including inline volume adjustment, play/pause controls, and pausing on unplug. - [31:10](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA&t=1870s) Full design files and schematics were released open source with no licensing fees to advance user ownership and right-to-repair.

## Detailed walkthrough ### [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA&t=0s) The Hong Kong Apple Store and the Motivation

Standing in front of the Apple Store in Hong Kong, Scotty from *Strange Parts*—known for previously building an iPhone entirely from scratch using spare parts in China—explains why he has embarked on a new project. A few months prior, he purchased an iPhone 7 so he could shoot higher quality video while exploring the industrial world. However, he was deeply annoyed by the removal of the 3.5mm headphone jack. Knowing full well that Apple would never bring it back, he spent the night stewing over the decision. By the next morning, he had reached a bold conclusion: “Why don't I add my own headphone jack? How hard could it be?”

While viral videos across the internet showed users taking cordless power drills to their phones in an attempt to uncover hidden jacks, Scotty dismisses that destructive meme outright: “Don't do that. Turns out it's really bad for your phone.” Instead, he wants to engineer a true, fully functioning hardware modification. Unsure if the modification is even physically or electrically viable, he leaves Hong Kong and heads directly across the border to Shenzhen to find out.

[01:21](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA&t=81s) Opening the iPhone 7 and the Internal Space Dilemma

Arriving in Shenzhen, the undisputed electronics manufacturing capital of the world, Scotty heads straight into the Huaqiangbei wholesale electronics markets. Rather than taking apart his brand new Apple Store device, he looks for a standalone iPhone 7 logic board to build up a prototype. Logic boards are scarce in the markets, so he settles on buying a complete used iPhone 7 to tear down. Back at his workbench, he uses a specialized suction-clamp screen cracker to pop open the display assembly and inspect the interior layout.

Upon looking inside, he finds an extraordinarily dense assembly with almost no unoccupied volume. Right where the headphone jack traditionally sat on earlier models, he discovers a small piece of molded plastic. Apple documentation and teardown guides like iFixit claim this plastic piece is a barometric vent designed to equalize internal pressure for an accurate altimeter, but Scotty remains deeply skeptical: “Yeah, I don't believe that that's a barometric vent. I don't really know what I'm talking about. It just looks to me like a plastic clip that holds some connectors on.” Holding a loose 3.5mm headphone jack against the housing where the plastic piece sits, he is stunned to discover that the jack might actually squeeze into the enclosure without requiring an unsightly custom bulge protruding from the outer shell: “Holy shit. I was expecting to say that there's no space here, and I don't think that's true.”

- The phone's interior is packed with virtually no leftover room, making millimeter-level placement critical. - Original design expectations assumed an ugly external protrusion would be necessary, but internal clearance looks barely feasible. - The only exterior modification Scotty intends to make to the chassis is drilling a single clean hole for the headphone port.

[03:24](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA&t=204s) Dremel Modifications and Component Relocation

Scotty heads out to the market stalls to buy a rotary Dremel tool so he can physically carve out space inside the aluminum rear casing. After clearing out the internal plastic bracket and metal mounting posts in the lower-left corner, he cuts an opening through the bottom perimeter of the phone for the 3.5mm audio barrel. However, dry-fitting the headphone jack reveals immediate spatial conflicts: the oversized Taptic Engine and the bottom edge of the battery completely obstruct the jack's rear housing.

Examining the clearance, Scotty realizes he can shift components rather than abandon the project: “I am a lucky bastard. I can totally just put the Taptic Engine in sideways.” By rotating the Taptic Engine ninety degrees, it nestles into the cavity, and by pushing the battery slightly upward until it rests against the logic board, the lower corner clears up. Yet when he attempts to close the screen, the display fails to sit flush because the metal bracket supporting the home button and lower flex cables collides with the top of the headphone jack. He dremels away corners of the bracket, but the severe vertical pinch puts heavy mechanical pressure on adjacent board-to-board connectors, threatening to pop them loose.

```mermaid flowchart LR accTitle: Component Realignment Inside Lower Chassis accDescr: Flow diagram showing how internal parts were modified and shifted to clear space for the 3.5mm jack. subgraph Clearance["Chassis Carving"] Dremel["Dremel Aluminum Wall"] Hole["Drill 3.5mm Port Hole"] end subgraph Relocation["Component Shifting"] Taptic["Rotate Taptic Engine 90°"] Battery["Shift Battery Upward"] end subgraph Trimming["Clearance Adjustments"] Bracket["Grind Home Button Bracket"] Fit["Check Flex Connector Strain"] end

Dremel --> Hole Hole --> Taptic Taptic --> Battery Battery --> Bracket Bracket --> Fit ```

[06:13](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA&t=373s) The Lightning Adapter Teardown and Tool Hunting

Scotty steps back from the physical fitting issues to tackle the electrical engineering problem, noting that mechanical tweaks are useless if the circuit cannot output audio. Research confirms that the iPhone 7 logic board does not route raw analog audio signals to unused test points, meaning he cannot simply solder a headphone jack directly to the motherboard. His workaround is to integrate Apple's official Lightning-to-3.5mm headphone adapter entirely inside the phone by hardwiring its circuit between the Lightning dock and the audio jack.

He visits the official Apple Store in Shenzhen and buys an adapter for 78 RMB. Bringing it back to his workbench, he attempts to grind off the molded plastic shell with his Dremel, only to nick the delicate internal circuit board and ruin it instantly. Resigned, he returns to the Apple Store to purchase three more adapters for roughly 200 RMB; when the store clerk asks why he needs so many, Scotty sheepishly confesses: “I keep breaking 'em.”

Realizing his current bench setup is inadequate for microscopic soldering, Scotty visits his favorite vendor in Huaqiangbei's tool alley. The merchant outfits him with ultra-fine Swiss-made Vetus tweezers, high-temperature silicone wire, and soldering supplies. He then replaces his inadequate $10 USB microscope with a professional digital inspection microscope, watching in admiration as the shopkeeper unboxes every piece, hooks up the cables, and tests it on the spot to verify complete functionality before completing the sale.

- Official Apple Lightning-to-3.5mm adapters cost 78 RMB each at the Shenzhen retail location. - High-precision tweezers (Switzerland Vetus 2-series) and heat-resistant micro-wire are acquired to solder the tiny exposed pads. - The tool alley vendors provide full benchtop demonstrations to verify microscope optics and hardware prior to purchase.

[09:52](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA&t=592s) Proving the Audio Circuit and Switching Dilemma

Armed with proper optics and fine-gauge soldering wire, Scotty spends well over a week meticulously soldering jumper wires to every microscopic pin on an iPhone 7 Lightning dock assembly, running each connection out to an external breakout header. He carries out the identical micro-soldering operation on the stripped-down Apple headphone adapter board. He then patches the two sets of header pins together, effectively creating an unrolled, hardwired prototype of the Lightning adapter plugged directly into the dock connector. He plugs headphones into the breakout assembly, starts playback on the phone, and celebrates as crisp audio plays: “Yes! It works!”

```mermaid flowchart LR accTitle: Lightning and Headphone Switching Architecture accDescr: Block diagram illustrating how the multiplexer chip switches logic board access between external Lightning and internal audio DAC. subgraph Inputs["External Ports"] Jack["3.5mm Headphone Jack"] ExtDock["External Lightning Port"] end subgraph Conversion["Audio Conversion"] Adapter["Apple Adapter DAC Board"] end subgraph Switching["Signal Multiplexer"] Mux["USB Switching Chip"] end subgraph Motherboard["Phone Internals"] Logic["iPhone 7 Logic Board"] end

Jack --- Adapter Adapter -->|"Audio Lines"| Mux ExtDock -->|"Power & Data"| Mux Mux -->|"Selected Bus"| Logic ```

The triumph is immediately tempered by a major functional roadblock: if the internal headphone adapter permanently occupies the Lightning interface pins, the phone can no longer charge or sync via its external Lightning port. While discussing the problem with friends over beer and street barbecue, an engineer friend suggests using an integrated USB multiplexer/switching chip to toggle the phone's internal data lines between the headphone adapter and the physical charging port. Scotty locates an appropriate high-speed switching chip, contacts a local chip broker named Endy, and picks up a batch of the components in Huaqiangbei. Back at the test bench, he wires the switching IC into the breakout array to test whether inserting a Lightning cable will automatically cut off the internal headphone adapter and restore charging functionality.

[12:27](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA&t=747s) Benchtop Switching Success and the First Rigid Prototype

Following extensive benchtop troubleshooting, Scotty reaches a breakthrough: the iPhone screen registers “headphones,” and plugging in the Lightning cable reliably switches over to charging. Toggling back and forth confirms that the switching logic works smoothly in real time. Relieved, Scotty claps and exclaims, “Holy shit. It works,” before declaring, “Time to make a circuit board.” While he had originally imagined he might hand-wire the entire assembly inside the phone, the switching circuitry has grown far too intricate for loose wires. He decides to design a custom printed circuit board (PCB), which he describes as essentially a precise network of copper wires laminated onto a rigid fiberglass backing.

Scotty intentionally designs his initial PCB oversized rather than trying to cram it directly into the iPhone 7 enclosure. By selecting larger chip packages, he ensures the components will be manageable to hand-solder and leaves ample space for test points to make probe debugging straightforward. After two grueling days of PCB layout work, he sends the digital gerber files to a board house. On a Sunday morning at around 10:30 AM, a courier delivers the manufactured boards. With his iPhone 7 still disassembled in the repair shop, Scotty tests the populated board against an iPhone 6S.

```mermaid flowchart LR accTitle: Lightning Switching Logic Test Flow accDescr: Benchtop breadboard routing between audio playback and Lightning power. subgraph Input["Signal Routing"] A["Lightning Connector"] --> B{"Multiplexer Switch"} end subgraph Logic["Active Channels"] B -->|"Audio Mode"| C["Headphone Jack Output"] B -->|"Charge Mode"| D["Battery Charging"] end ```

The prototype does not work straight out of the gate; Scotty realizes in dismay that he accidentally wired the headphone jack pads entirely backwards on the layout. To salvage the experiment, he desolders the board-mounted jack, solders in loose flying wires, and bridges the connections to his earlier hand-modified Lightning-to-3.5mm audio adapter. With audio finally piping through, Scotty observes, “Right about now, I was hoping to say, 'There it is. The prototype is done and it's working.' But not so much.” Nevertheless, because the core logic circuit successfully routes signals to his hand-soldered adapter, he decides to declare victory on the proof-of-concept and move on to the miniaturization phase.

- The preliminary PCB was deliberately designed oversized with accessible test pads rather than sized for internal phone clearance. - Hand-soldered patch wires were required to invert the reversed headphone jack pinout on the physical board.

---

[16:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA&t=975s) Designing the Flexible PCB and Paper Modeling

Fitting the switching electronics inside the chassis requires a radical departure from rigid fiberglass boards. Scotty pivots to designing a flexible printed circuit board (flex PCB or FPC), which replaces rigid FR4 fiberglass with a bendable polyimide plastic film. These ultrathin circuits—often nicknamed “origami circuits” because of the intricate folds required to weave through cramped consumer electronics—are ubiquitous in smartphones and digital cameras where space is at an absolute premium. Scotty admits he has never designed a flexible PCB before and faces a steep learning curve.

To verify the three-dimensional geometry before submitting the files for production, Scotty purchases a desktop printer to print 1:1 scale paper mockups of his design. He cuts out the delicate paper outlines and laminates them using strips of clear packing tape—a step he calls “a little ghetto lamination”—to mimic the stiffness and thickness of actual flex material. By physically inserting the mockups into the gutted cavity of an iPhone housing, he iterates on the bends, ribbon runs, and connector clearances to ensure the components will clear the taptic engine and battery walls.

- Flex PCBs substitute a thin polyimide plastic base for rigid fiberglass substrates so traces can flex and fold around internal structures. - Scale printouts coated with packing tape served as functional mechanical fit-checks inside the phone casing.

---

[17:43](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA&t=1063s) Factory Run: Manufacturing the Flex Circuit

Scotty heads into the electronics markets of Huaqiangbei to meet Lisa, his sales contact for a flexible PCB manufacturing plant. Sitting at her booth, Scotty presents his paper mockup and an iPhone 7 chassis, explaining that he is modifying the phone to add a 3.5mm jack. Lisa smiles and remarks, “Oh, You changed it. You changed the phone.” When Lisa asks if he only needs a single test board, Scotty replies, “I probably should get like at least five pieces just in case I have—five or 10 pieces just in case I have problems.” He finalizes the CAD files that evening, sends them via WeChat, and joins Lisa for an on-site tour of the fabrication plant.

Inside the factory, Scotty walks through the end-to-end industrial FPC manufacturing line, remarking on the pungent chemical smell:

```mermaid flowchart TD accTitle: Flex PCB Industrial Production Process accDescr: Step-by-step manufacturing sequence for dual-layer flexible printed circuits. subgraph Prep["Substrate & Drilling"] A["Raw Copper/Polyimide Laminate"] --> B["CNC Multi-Spindle Drilling"] B --> C["Electroless & Electroplated Copper Vias"] end subgraph Pattern["Etching & Protection"] C --> D["Acid Chemical Etch of Copper Traces"] D --> E["Polyimide Coverlay / Solder Mask"] E --> F["Silkscreen Legend Printing"] end subgraph Verification["Quality Assurance"] F --> G["Bed-of-Nails Electrical Continuity Testing"] end ```

The process begins with rolls of raw laminate consisting of two micro-thin sheets of copper bonded to a central polyimide core. Automated robotic drill stations automatically cycle through tiny drill bits to bore micro-vias, which are immediately sent through chemical copper-plating baths to establish electrical continuity across both sides. Next, acid baths etch away unwanted copper to leave behind the fine-pitch circuit traces Scotty drew on his computer. A protective plastic coverlay and solder mask are bonded down to shield conductors from accidental shorts, followed by silkscreen printing for component reference markings. Before shipping, each finished panel is clamped into a custom spring-loaded bed-of-nails test jig to verify that every trace has electrical continuity and no unintended shorts exist. Shortly after the tour, Lisa texts Scotty on WeChat to confirm that his small batch of boards is finished.

- Raw stock consists of double-sided copper foil sandwiching an insulating polyimide core. - Robotic drilling arrays swap drill bits automatically to bore via holes down to fractional-millimeter diameters. - Custom test jigs perform 100% electrical continuity and isolation testing on every finished batch of FPC panels.

---

[20:37](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA&t=1237s) Micro-Soldering BGA Components onto the Flex Circuit

Collecting the finished flex circuits from Lisa in Huaqiangbei, Scotty faces what he considers the most daunting hurdle of the project: hand-soldering microscopic ball grid array (BGA) silicon onto a delicate, heat-sensitive plastic substrate. As Scotty confesses, “This is the smallest soldering I've ever done, so I'm hoping I can pull it off.” Because a misstep could easily incinerate the thin polyimide or destroy expensive ICs, he starts with the cheapest passive components and small supporting chips first.

Working under magnification, Scotty dispenses solder paste—a suspension of microscopic metallic solder spheres blended into a thick flux paste—across the tiny footprint pads. Relying on liquid surface tension to pull the parts into alignment once liquefied, he places the miniature decoupling capacitors before positioning the BGA silicon chips onto their target footprints. Lowering the hot-air rework nozzle, he takes extreme care to avoid blowing the minute chips across his bench: “Just want like a baby's breath of hot air.” As heat saturates the zone, the grey paste liquefies into reflective molten beads, and surface tension snaps the components into dead-center alignment.

Inspection confirms the absence of solder bridges between the micro-pitch pads. He turns the board over, populates the opposing side, and links the completed flex circuit assembly to his phone test jig. When audio streams cleanly into connected headphones, months of agonizing schematic design and fabrication finally yield a fully functional miniaturized module, causing him to shout, “Months of work finally coming through.”

- Solder paste consists of micro-scale alloy spheres suspended in a viscous flux carrier. - Surface tension from molten solder automatically centers BGA packages over their corresponding substrate footprints. - A controlled, low-airflow hot-air profile was essential to avoid blowing micro-passives and BGA chips off their footprints.

---

[23:37](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA&t=1417s) Precision Machining with Nick's Desktop CNC

With the internal flex electronics confirmed to be working, Scotty shifts to the mechanical challenge: cutting a clean, factory-grade 3.5mm aperture in the bottom aluminum rim of the iPhone 7 housing. Unwilling to settle for the jagged, uneven results produced by a hand Dremel tool, he visits his friend Nick Starno, a mechanical engineer who has recently set up a desktop CNC mill in his workshop lab.

Nick is still dialing in the machine's control software, noting, “I'm still figuring out how to use this software. So it's gonna sit like this, right? And the important measurement is the height of the hole from this space.” Nick generates toolpaths with helical lead-ins to bore into the curved aluminum sidewall, then compiles and loads the G-code into the machine controller. Clamping a spare donor iPhone rear housing into the mill vise, they initiate the cut. As the high-speed spindle engages the aluminum, the machine lets out a loud, harsh chatter. Watching the aggressive cutting forces shake the setup, Scotty remarks with concern, “Well, I don't think our feeds and speeds were ideal. There's definitely a lot of vibration going on.”

- Nick uses a custom desktop CNC milling machine running helical G-code routines to bore headphone jack openings. - Initial test cuts on spare chassis revealed chatter and high vibration, indicating the cutting speeds, feeds, and workholding rigidity required fine-tuning before cutting production housings.

[24:51](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA&t=1491s) Machining the Jack and Controller-Guided CNC Milling

Scotty begins cutting out the interior clearance to test-fit the headphone jack and verify whether their combined modifications will fit. While testing the fit with a Dremel, the component gives way, prompting Scotty to realize, “I guess we'll have to have a 2.0.” To gain finer, more intuitive control over the CNC mill running Mach3 software, they pick up an Xbox 360 controller for about 180 RMB, complete with its original box sticker. Driving the mill axes with the analog thumbsticks dramatically speeds up the process, with Scotty remarking that they are now “cutting plastic like a video game.”

```mermaid flowchart TD accTitle: Headphone Jack Modification and Case Fit Process accDescr: Steps taken to shave down the headphone jack and mill the phone housing to fit inside the chassis. subgraph JackPrep["Jack Modification"] A["Stock 3.5mm Jack"] --> B["Dremel Shaving"] B --> C["Expose Metal on All Sides"] C --> D["Lathe / Mill Outer Bevel"] end subgraph CaseMod["Enclosure Machining"] E["Xbox 360 Controller + Mach3"] --> F["CNC Mill Clearance Cavity"] F --> G["Mill Beveled 3.5mm Port Hole"] end JackPrep --> H["Final Dry Fit in Chassis"] CaseMod --> H ```

The new milling run produces parts that look significantly cleaner than their initial terrifying attempts. The next challenge is machining the front face of the headphone jack into a circle so it seats neatly into the newly drilled case aperture. Scotty aggressively modifies the plastic casing of the connector with a rotary tool, shaving it away until bare metal is exposed on every side before handing it over to Nick Starno for fine lathe and CNC trimming. The resulting beveled port aligns neatly with the chassis, setting up the final assembly attempt.

- The Xbox 360 controller was sourced locally for roughly 180 RMB and mapped directly to control Mach3 CNC movement. - Scotty shaved down the headphone connector with a Dremel until metal was exposed on every perimeter surface to minimize its physical footprint.

---

[26:33](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA&t=1593s) Assembly Failures, Broken Screens, and the Edge of Giving Up

Scotty attempts to seat the modified assembly into the bottom of a hand-drilled housing to verify screen clearance, but a noticeable gap remains between the display bracket and the aluminum shell. As he tries pressing the phone shut, the internal components crush against the delicate display assembly. Within twenty-four hours, two separate iPhone screens shatter under the strain of being compressed directly against the headphone jack mechanism.

Faced with mounting costs and exhausted from the delicate mechanical assembly, Scotty reaches an emotional low point. The pressure of living up to the expectations of his audience weighs heavily on him: “I wanted this story to be another story of inspiration, of success.” After venting his frustration, he refuses to quit after coming this far, resolving that he is gradually learning how to handle the fragile tolerances and deciding to give the assembly one final, methodical try.

- Scotty cracked two display assemblies in under 24 hours due to uneven pressure from the headphone jack beneath the bracket. - Broken replacement parts alone accumulated hundreds of dollars in unexpected project costs within a single week.

---

[30:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA&t=1800s) Victory: A Fully Functional Headphone Jack on an iPhone 7

After a careful final reassembly, Scotty boots the modified iPhone without cracking the glass or damaging the internals. He immediately tests audio output: the speaker plays loud and clear, and when 3.5mm headphones are plugged into the custom port, audio seamlessly diverts to the earbuds. The inline volume buttons adjust level accurately, pressing the inline control pauses and resumes playback, and pulling the plug instantly halts the audio stream just like a factory Apple device.

```mermaid flowchart LR accTitle: Custom Audio and Power Switching Verification accDescr: Functional test flow confirming audio routing and Lightning charging behavior. subgraph AudioPath["Audio Routing"] A["Media Playback"] --> B{"3.5mm Connected?"} B -->|Yes| C["Route to Custom Jack"] B -->|No| D["Route to Internal Speaker"] C --> E["Inline Controls & Pause on Unplug"] end subgraph PowerPath["Power Routing"] F["Lightning Cable Plugged In"] --> G["Switch Logic Prioritizes Power"] G --> H["Standard Fast Charging Verified"] end ```

The final hurdle—ensuring the Lightning port could still charge while sharing routing lines with the headphone circuitry—works on the first try, eliciting an audible chime as power connects. Scotty compares his finished build to an original iPhone 6S, noting that while his custom port sits slightly further outboard and features a slightly rougher hand-finished bevel than Apple's factory version, the result is fully functional and remarkably close to factory aesthetics.

> “And when I unplug the headphones, it stops. How cool is that?” — Scotty

---

[31:10](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA&t=1870s) Open Source Files, Apple Challenge, and the Right to Modify

Scotty directly addresses viewer demand, cautioning that while many want an updated iPhone with an analog jack, the delicate manual fabrication means he cannot sell commercial conversion kits himself. Instead, he produces a batch of limited-edition bare circuit boards for loyal fans and invites Apple engineers to reach out: “If you're an Apple engineer, and you can email me any reasonable proof, I'll send you a free circuit board.”

Scotty releases the full design files openly with zero licensing fees for the repair shops and technicians in Huaqiangbei and Shenzhen. He uploads the production files to Weibo and his website, inviting local hardware makers who possess superior microsoldering and fabrication skills to iterate on the board and sell retrofits to consumers. Looking beyond Shenzhen, Scotty solicits video ideas and invites leads from viewers worldwide via tips@strangeparts.com, closing with a call for user autonomy and right-to-repair:

> “I hope that one day we'll feel like we truly own our devices, that we'll feel free to modify and repair our phones as we please, to upgrade them and to add whatever features we can dream up.” — Scotty

- The complete hardware design was released free of charge on Weibo and the Strange Parts website for the Huaqiangbei manufacturing ecosystem to produce and modify. - Viewers with industrial, factory, or mining leads outside China were invited to send tips to tips@strangeparts.com. - Scotty concludes by acknowledging the upcoming launch of the iPhone 8, noting he has not seen one yet and cannot yet confirm whether a headphone jack could be added to it.

## Notable quotes > [31:10](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA&t=1870s) I hope that one day we'll feel like we truly own our devices, that we'll feel free to modify and repair our phones as we please, to upgrade them and to add whatever features we can dream up. — Scotty

## Mentioned Strange Parts, Scotty, Apple, iPhone 7, iPhone 6S, iPhone 8, Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Huaqiangbei, iFixit, Taptic Engine, Vetus, Endy, Lisa, Nick Starno, Mach3, Xbox 360, Weibo

## Video description I love my iPhone, but it doesn't have a headphone jack! So I decided to add my own. For real. How I made an iPhone in China video: https://youtu.be/leFuF-zoVzA Share this video: https://youtu.be/utfbE3_uAMA Subscribe to the channel here: https://goo.gl/qeurxc

4 months, 7 custom circuit boards designs, 3 disassembled iPhones later, it works. It's the first modern iPhone with a headphone jack - the only one like it in the world.

More details here (and answers to all your questions): http://strangeparts.com/bringing-back-the-iphone-headphone-jack-in-china/ For diehard Strange Parts fans, go here to find out more about how to get a limited edition headphone jack circuit board: http://strangeparts.com/headphones The design is completely open source! Go here to find out more: http://github.com/strangeparts/niubi-headphones

I NEED YOUR HELP! Tell me what you'd like to see me do next in the comments! I'm really looking forward to exploring the back alleys of the industrial world outside of just cell phones and China. And if you think you have a really awesome idea, please email tips@strangeparts.com. In particular, if you live somewhere cool (particularly India or Africa), I want to hear about the industrial world(markets/factories/mines/etc) where you live. And if you're an engineer in manufacturing, hit me up with that cool factory story you've been dying to have someone tell. Thanks guys!

My Gear: I shot it on this camera: http://amzn.to/2B0Snke And also with this: http://amzn.to/2D7q5pN And recorded sound on this: http://amzn.to/2CFuyPv Collaborative editing software: http://bit.ly/frameio-sp

Facebook: http://facebook.com/strangepartscom Twitter: http://twitter.com/strangepartscom Instagram: http://instagram.com/strangeparts_com Email Newsletter: http://strangeparts.com/

Thank you to everyone that helped! Please go check them out - they’re all doing cool stuff. -- Galen - Assistant editor and all around right hand man Junshu - cameraman and filmmaker extraordinaire Colin Shipp - Advisor/Youtube Consultant (colin@thepossibilitygroup.com) Lewis - Translations wizard Nick Starno (http://nickstarno.info) - CNC master Loic De Buck - The keeper of the logic analyzer Ian Lesnet (http://dirtypcbs.com) - Supplier of antique drill presses, scavenged monitors, sage advice, and other curiosities Greg Needel and David Yanoshak - REV Robotics (http://www.revrobotics.com/) - bringers of the wisdom Hans (hmichl) - Electronics insight Paul Campbell (http://www.moonbaseotago.com) - Electronics insight and lore Julong Tool Brothers - The best tool booth in tool alley! Endy - chip brokerh (WeChat: YCJ13691959788) Lisa - Flexible PCB supplier (segpcb@163.com)

Music -- Handpan player - Chor Lai (http://facebook.com/chorsharp) Nice To You - Vibe Tracks - Youtube Audio Library Other Scenario - Lana Inspired (licensed through http://bit.ly/artlist-sp) Follow Me - Jimmy Fontanez - Youtube Audio Library Verve - A-GROUP (licensed through http://bit.ly/artlist-sp) Innocence - Suraj Nepal (licensed through http://bit.ly/artlist-sp) Pie Flavor - 0r4 (CC-BY https://soundcloud.com/0r4/pie-flavor) Breath Celebration - Gabriel Meyer (licensed through http://bit.ly/artlist-sp) Glitch garage rmx - faze rock (CC-BY https://soundcloud.com/fazerock/p-glitch-garage-rmx) Paradise - Ryan Little (https://soundcloud.com/iamryanlittle) Year Of Life - Young Rich Pixies (licensed through http://bit.ly/artlist-sp) Long Way - Lush Island (licensed through http://bit.ly/artlist-sp) Endless Inspiration - Nick Petrov (licensed through hooksounds.com)

#StrangeParts #PhoneAdventures #China

[Source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA)