While ripping apart your new $999 phone may seem a stupid idea, the first teardowns of the iPhone X have revealed its internals were as radically redesigned as its exterior. These incredible images from iFixit reveal several surprises inside the handset.
Apple managed to cram in two batteries for instance, allowing them to arrange them in an L shape to optimise space.
While ripping apart your new $999 phone may seem a stupid idea, the first teardowns of the iPhone X have revealed its internals were as radically redesigned as its exterior.
These incredible images from iFixit reveal several surprises inside the handset.
Apple managed to cram in two batteries for instance, allowing them to arrange them in an L shape to optimise space.
iFixit said the new design was actually more similar to the original iPhone than they expected.
‘The iPhone has come a long way in ten years—so long, in fact, that the design has cycled back a bit, and this iPhone looks more like the original than we’ve seen in a long time.’
The most immediately noticeable difference is with the batteries – there are now two.
They are arranged in an L shape with components fitted around them.
In general, it gives the iPhone X a ‘repairability score’ of six out of 10, praising the relative ease with which someone can replace the device’s display and battery but lamenting how the glue-heavy, all-glass back would force a user to remove additional components like the rear camera if it ever broke and needed a replacement.
‘Glass on front and back doubles the likelihood of drop damage—and if the back glass breaks, you’ll be removing every component and replacing the entire chassis,’ it warns.
Several unlucky purchasers have already been caught on camera dropping and cracking their new $999 handsets.
However, iFixit says that ‘Display and battery repairs remain a priority in the iPhone’s design.’
A cracked display can be replaced without removing the biometric Face ID hardware, it found – meaning repairs should be cheaper and faster.
Repairing just the screen of an iPhone X will set you back $279, but it gets worse.
When Apple assesses your phone for what it calls ‘other damage,’ repair fees could surge as high as $549.
Those repair prices are substantially higher than the cost of repairing an iPhone 8 plus, which doesn’t feature the fancy OLED screen of the iPhone X.
Repairing the screen of an iPhone 8 plus costs $169, and $399 for other damage, according to Apple.
Apple says the fees apply if you ‘need to replace your screen due to accidental damage or mishandling.’
The battery capacity is 2,716mAh, which is slightly larger than the 2,691mAh unit in the iPhone 8 Plus despite the former being about a half-inch shorter.
‘The dual-cell design is more of a space-utilization measure than a capacity-changing one,’ says iFixit.
‘Two cells allows for more creative shapes and placement, to best take advantage of the space left over by shrinking the logic board.’
Apple also managed to shrink the phone’s main circuit board by effectively folding it.
The result is that it fits components that take up roughly 35 percent more space than the iPhone 8 Plus’ logic board area when fully laid out into something that is 70 percent the size of that board on the whole.
‘This miniaturized logic board is incredibly space efficient,’ the site said.
‘The density of connectors and components is unprecedented.
‘Ounce for ounce, even an Apple Watch has more bare board.’
‘Two cells allows for more creative shapes and placement, to best take advantage of the space left over by shrinking the logic board.’
Apple also managed to shrink the phone’s main circuit board by effectively folding it.
The result is that it fits components that take up roughly 35 percent more space than the iPhone 8 Plus’ logic board area when fully laid out into something that is 70 percent the size of that board on the whole.
‘This miniaturized logic board is incredibly space efficient,’ the site said.
‘The density of connectors and components is unprecedented.
‘Ounce for ounce, even an Apple Watch has more bare board.’
Other finds include a seemingly reinforced Lightning connector on the bottom of the phone.
There is a similarly secure layout for the phone’s dual rear cameras.
However, the site does warn Apple’s continued use of proprietary screws that make it impossible for average users to open their handset – which is possibly good news for those who have just spent $999 on it.
Daily Mail
