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American teenager made $130k selling white panels for iPhone 4
Last reviewed: 30.06.2025
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17-year-old New Yorker Faye Lam earned $130,000 on DIY kits that let you change the color of your iPhone 4 from black to white.
According to the young man himself, the kits he sells are made in China by the Foxconn plant, which produces iPhones for Apple. Fei said that he established relations with Foxconn about six months ago through one of his acquaintances, placed an order with the plant and since then has regularly purchased parts for reworking the iPhone 4.
As reported by The New York Observer, the complete kit for converting the smartphone into a white version costs $279 on the website. Buying the back panel of the phone separately will cost $135, and the front panel with the button - $169. Shipping to anywhere in the world will add another $20 to the cost of the kit. According to reviews on the website, it takes the user less than an hour to independently convert the case of the device.
The young entrepreneur added that he would use the money from the sale of the white panels to study computer science or business at New York University. The law could get in the way: according to the teenager, he recently received an email from a private investigator accusing him of selling stolen goods. However, Fay does not plan to close his site, and wants to consult a lawyer regarding a possible conflict with Apple.