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iPhone 4 mod makes the Apple logo glow

This clever hack makes the back of your iPhone light up like the lid of a MacBook. But it's not a cheap or easy modification to make.

Rick Broida Senior Editor
Rick Broida is the author of numerous books and thousands of reviews, features and blog posts. He writes CNET's popular Cheapskate blog and co-hosts Protocol 1: A Travelers Podcast (about the TV show Travelers). He lives in Michigan, where he previously owned two escape rooms (chronicled in the ebook "I Was a Middle-Aged Zombie").
Rick Broida
2 min read
Pricey but cool: iPhone Rear Apple Illumination Modification.
Pricey but cool: the iPhone Rear Apple Illumination Modification. iPatch

Want to make your iPhone 4 stand out from the crowd? Sure, you can dress it up in a fancy case (or even one with a custom photo), but if you really want to turn heads, check out the iPhone 4 Rear Apple Illumination Modification.

The name may not be sexy, but the mod definitely is: it makes your iPhone's Apple logo glow. And not some weak, greenish, glow-in-the-dark phosphorescence, but a brilliant, white, powered luminosity--much like what you see on the lids of Apple's MacBooks.

Sounds pretty slick, right? U.K.-based iPatch, an iPhone repair service, plans to release the mod next month at a yet-to-be-determined price. The company estimates £50 to £100, "depending on mass production costs," which works out to $80 to $160.

That's pretty steep, and it doesn't include labor: the mod will be made available only to "trained repairers," meaning you'll probably have to part with your iPhone to get the work done.

What, exactly, does the mod involve? For starters, it replaces the rear glass plate, but adds no thickness to your phone. iPatch also notes that it creates "no noticeable drop in battery performance," nor does it produce any heat or cause any interference with the flash.

The light effect is "an evenly distributed glow, much like the Apple symbol on the rear of a MacBook lid." The logo lights up--and switches off--when the iPhone's screen does likewise. In other words, when you're using your phone, the Apple logo will glow--but not when you're on a call.

Interestingly, there will be options for custom colors (how incredibly cool would blue or red be?), and you'll be able to change the glow intensity by adjusting the front LCD's brightness.

Needless to say, installing the mod will void your iPhone's warranty, though iPatch notes that the process is reversible (not including labor, of course), effectively restoring your phone to its original condition.

What do you think? Is this the ultimate iPhone hack? Would you be willing to pay $160 or more to get it? (If not, how much would you pay?) Let's hear your thoughts in the comments!