Apple’s new AirPods 5 are still difficult to repair, but iFixit says they are a meaningful improvement over every previous generation of Apple’s wireless earbuds.
In its latest teardown, iFixit gave the AirPods 5 a repairability score of 2 out of 10. That may sound low, but it is the highest score the repair company has ever given a pair of AirPods. Previous models have typically received a score of zero (yes, 0 out of 0).
The biggest change is inside the earbuds themselves. Apple has returned to a battery design that uses small prongs instead of soldered connections, making the batteries easier to disconnect and remove.
iFixit was also able to open the earbuds cleanly around the speaker driver. After removing adhesive around the battery, the battery could be pulled out without destroying the earbud.
The company even managed to reach the battery using relatively common tools, including a hair dryer and clamp. The repair still requires careful heating and prying, so iFixit does not consider it an easy job for most people.
There is another complication. The batteries used in the left and right AirPods are slightly different, including reversed polarity, meaning they cannot simply be swapped between earbuds.
The charging case remains much less repairable. iFixit said it struggled to open the case even with professional equipment and ultimately destroyed it while trying to reach the battery. Plastic welds are also used inside instead of screws.
Apple does not currently provide replacement parts or repair manuals for AirPods 5 through its Self Service Repair program.
Despite those limitations, iFixit says the removable earbud batteries give repair technicians a better chance of extending the life of AirPods once their batteries begin to wear out.
That improvement was enough for the AirPods 5 to earn the 2 out of 10 repairability score, breaking a decade-long run of zero scores for Apple’s earbuds. The best part about AirPods 5 is the price did not increase compared to AirPods 4, so that’s a win for Canadians.
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