14 DAY TRIAL // Speculation that reached the web before Apple actually took the wraps off its new 4-inch iPhone pointed to various names for the device, including iPhone 5 SE, iPhone 6c, and even iPhone 7.
In the end, Apple decided to go for iPhone SE, a rather bland name for a device that comes with a design that’s several years old, but which comprises latest-generation hardware.
Those who want a little bit more than an outdated design can build their own iPhone 6 SE, and although that might sound impossible, ComputerBild has actually managed to create such an original device. All you have to do is to actually move all the internals from the new iPhone SE to a custom case built by Chinese companies and which they sell as iPhone 6 SE.
What’s very important to note is that these Chinese cases are built for a 4-inch screen, so they should easily house the components of an iPhone SE. But it goes without saying that transferring all parts from one device to another is no easy thing and you have to be a pro to do it.
You’re going to lose your warranty
If your phone is still covered by warranty, forget it because you’re going to lose it. That’s why it’s better to try this only on devices that you no longer care about – and by the way, doing this with the parts of an iPhone 5S is likely to work too, as long as you use a 4-inch iPhone 6 case.
The aforementioned source notes that it takes around 2 hours to do the whole thing and after disassembling the iPhone SE, everything needs to be carefully moved in the new case. While the logic board is easy to remove, not the same thing can be said about the flat cables underneath. Everything must be done slowly and with extra care because if you break anything… you know what happens.
What’s also worth knowing is that the Chinese cases are available for around $20 (€15), but what you pay is what you get. And what you get is actually a cheap case that indeed bears the Apple and iPhone branding, but they are just stickers. Buttons are hard to press and the camera hole interrupts an antenna line.
Clearly, this is quite an interesting DIY project, but just make sure that you know what to do before starting it. You should only take the chance to do this after reading everything about the iPhone SE internals because otherwise, you must expect the unexpected.
