The iPhone 16 lineup is less complicated to disassemble than ever earlier than. Photograph credit score: iFixit
The standard teardown by restore website iFixit has given the iPhone 16 lineup the very best repairability rating of any earlier iPhone, thanks to a few key modifications within the design and internals that make it simpler to entry parts.
The ranking, which is provisional pending Apple’s launch of components, is predicated on what iFixit identifies as three main modifications. As famous in an earlier teardown, rumors of Apple encasing the iPhone 16 Professional battery in onerous metal case have confirmed to be true.
“Onerous cell batteries as an alternative of sentimental pouch batteries will not get unintentionally punctured by a slip of a screwdriver, and they also’re manner much less more likely to catch fireplace,” iFixit famous on its weblog, drastically lowering the danger of battery harm. The corporate additionally praised Apple’s change to a brand new adhesive that secures that battery, which may now be debonded when one passes an small electrical present by means of it.
The third issue famous was the enlargement of the power to disassemble the iPhone both from the entrance or again, rising the convenience of attending to the precise parts that want repairing. This characteristic truly debuted on the bottom mannequin iPhone 14, nevertheless it has now come to the iPhone 16’s Professional fashions as effectively.
The iFixit weblog referred to those modifications as “large leaps for repairkind,” which allowed for a extra constant and easily-repeatable restore course of. Apple’s personal battery restore information supplied to AASP technicians reveals that the debonding may be performed with two leads from a family 9v battery.
Apple’s AASP restore information reveals how you can debond the battery case utilizing a 9v battery.
Harvesting OEM components made simpler additionally
The iFixit weblog additionally praised Apple’s new “Restore Assistant” program to help AASP technicians and DIY-ers alike to have the ability to calibrate and make sure correct “components pairing” when utilizing new or harvested OEM components to restore an Apple gadget.
“After we examined it out with the iPhone 15 sequence earlier this week, we thought it was promising, if not fairly prepared for prime time,” the corporate famous. “Nevertheless it labored impressively easily on our vanilla iPhone 16: one click on to pair and calibrate all parts directly, and no bugs to be discovered.”
The Restore Assistant characteristic in iOS 18 might or might not work with some compliant however third-party restore parts, nevertheless. The software program might additionally develop into a nuisance to consumers of used iPhones who have been unaware of earlier repairs, or any use of third-party components.
Apple’s personal restore information notes that utilizing a 9v battery can debond the battery casing within the iPhone 16 in a couple of 90 seconds. iFixit’s comparability used a 12v battery, and was in a position to debond in 60 seconds.
The total iFixit teardown additionally revealed that there is extra to the brand new Digital camera Management activator than meets the attention. The corporate was happy to improve the repairability rating of the iPhone 16 line to a seven out of 10; the iPhone 15, by comparability, scored a 4 out of 10.