iPhone 16 Teardown Reveals Repairability Upgrades Over iPhone 15

Apple’s latest iPhone 16 series introduces several significant changes over last year’s iPhone 15, particularly in the area of repairability, according to a teardown yesterday conducted by iFixit. The teardown experts say improvements in repair design mark notable progress for do-it-yourself and third-party repairs.

One of the major advancements in the iPhone 16 is the new adhesive used to secure the battery. Unlike the traditional adhesive strips, the new technology allows the adhesive to unstick when an electrical current is applied.

According to iFixit, this “fancy new sticky stuff” simplifies the process of battery removal, eliminating the need for finicky adhesive strips. The adhesive will require a specialized tool, but iFixit notes the process is much easier and repeatable compared to past models. That’s a win considering all the pressure on Apple from organizations seeking favourable right to repair legislation.

The iPhone 16 Pro’s battery also sees an upgrade with a hard steel case, replacing the soft pouch design seen in previous models. This shift aims to make battery repairs safer, reducing the risk of puncturing and potential fires. The iPhone 16 Pro Max, however, doesn’t get this for some reason.

Another improvement is the expansion of the “enter through either the front or back” design, first introduced with the iPhone 14, to all models in the iPhone 16 lineup. This design allows for easier access to internal components without requiring the removal of fragile parts like the ProMotion OLED display.

Apple has also made strides with its new iOS 18 “Repair Assistant” software, which aims to reduce software barriers to repair by simplifying the pairing and calibration of replacement parts. iFixit tested this system on the iPhone 16 and reported smooth functionality with the entry model, showing an improvement over the iPhone 15.

Apple has also changed thermal management in the iPhone 16, with its A18 processor. A redesigned heat sink helps get rid of heat more efficiently, which iFixit suggests could improve the performance of Apple’s Neural Engine, used for AI tasks. This could allow the iPhone 16 to maintain higher performance levels for longer periods compared to its predecessor (also remember Apple jumped from A16 to A18 this year for iPhone 16).

The iPhone 16’s new dedicated camera button has seen some mixed reactions. While it physically functions as a button, iFixit discovered that it is laser-welded to the frame, making it difficult to repair. Moreover, this button has its own integrated circuit. Unlike previous models, where buttons were easily replaceable, the iPhone 16 may require users to replace the entire frame if the button breaks.

Overall, iFixit has awarded the iPhone 16 a repairability score of 7 out of 10, up from the 4 out of 10 given to the iPhone 15, pointing out the battery adhesive improvements and the dual-entry design as the most significant changes. This is most repairable iPhone series yet, according to iFixit.