How to add a headphone socket to the iPhone 7: just drill a 3.5mm hole into it

It’s obvious to most ElectronicProducts.com readers that the headline above is tongue-in-cheek — that one cannot add an audio port to a mobile device simply by drilling a hole in it.

Unfortunately, this is not the case on YouTube, where a prank video with a similar title was posted and went viral (11 million views at the time this article is being written). The clip shows a man drilling a 3.5mm hole into the bottom left portion of the iPhone 7 while the device is held in place with a vice grip. 

Specifically, he points to a row of small holes in this area that replaced the audio socket on the iPhone 6, and explains that by drilling into the second hole, the iPhone 7 owner can access a hidden socket. 

The video shows the iPhone 7 playing music after being drilled, but do note that the sound is coming out of its speaker, not the headphones inserted into the device’s newest hole. 

The video was created by YouTuber Taras Maksimuk who, it turns out, “specializes in smashing technology for your pleasure” (per his profile). Along with the DIY audio port, Maksimuk’s other videos cover curious topics like “can the iPhone  7 survive in liquid nitrogen for five minutes” and “what happens if you microwave an iPhone 7”.

Unfortunately, there were several members of Maksimuk’s audience who took him for his literal word in the video, and proceeded to drill holes in their own iPhone 7s; at least, this is according to the comment section. Among the notes:

“WTF??? (Expletive) you! My screen turned black the moment I started drilling and now I can’t even open it.”

“TECHRAX YOU PIECE OF (expletive) I DID THIS AND THE SOUND DOESN NOT WORK AT ALL!”

“ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I WAITD TILL MY DAD WAS SLEEP THEN I WENT TO THE GARAGE AND GOT HIS DIRLL AND DID THIS ND NOW MY IPHONE WONT NOT EVEN WORK!!!!! YOU ARE SUCH ASCUM BAG WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS IM GOING TO MAEK SURE YOURE UTUBE CHANNEL IS GETS SHUT DOWN.”

To date, the video has received 146,000 likes, and 90,000 dislikes. 

To state the obvious, one cannot create an audio port by drilling into an iPhone 7. It will ruin the waterproofing of the device, which requires the membranes covering the holes in the bottom of the device to be undamaged. 

It’ll also likely destroy the phone. 

Via TechRax