Apple appears to have made hefty changes to how the iPhone 15 Pro can be disassembled, according to the latest teardown. The company has also incorporated graphite film that covers a significantly larger area to help transfer heat, but according to our previous report, the new material is not contributing to keeping the iPhone 15 Pro Max thermals in check. Regardless, let us check out the teardown in more detail and see what Apple has changed this year and if it intends to make repair jobs a walk in the park or an utter nightmare.
Display panel can easily be removed from the iPhone 15 Pro, but it can be tricky when removing the A17 Pro logic board
Before iFixit, PBKreviews performed a teardown of the iPhone 15 Pro, and when removing the display, we immediately notice how near-seamless it is to remove the front assembly. However, those who get a little excited or aggressive in the initial stages of the teardown will have to pay the panel’s cost from their own pockets because there is a tiny flex cable that connects to the phone that can easily be ripped off if individuals are not careful.
Next comes the aluminum cover, which features graphite film that helps keep the temperatures in control, but as we have mentioned above, it does not appear to do an adequate job. The L-shaped battery returns to the iPhone 15 Pro, and just like on previous models, it features pull tabs to help remove it. PBKreviews notes that he does not prefer this approach because there is always a chance that the tabs can be broken.
However, when applying isopropyl alcohol, the cell comes out without much effort, making replacement jobs simpler. Apple has traversed in the right direction when disassembling its latest flagship without frustrating the people performing the job, but we still believe there is room for improvement. For instance, the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s battery can be removed in a few seconds without requiring isopropyl alcohol, and there is also a colored label to help remove this component without much hassle. In short, Apple could take a few pointers from its rival.
The A17 Pro logic board and the PCB that has the USB-C port soldered to it can be removed without much trouble, though Apple did hide some screws, which may catch you by surprise if you are performing this teardown yourself, so be wary of that. While we are disappointed that the USB-C port is baked to the PCB and cannot be easily replaced in case there is a short that prevents it from working, we are pleased with what Apple has done with the iPhone 15 Pro. Overall, PBKreviews gave this teardown process a 7 out of 10, which is slightly higher than what the YouTube channel gave the iPhone 14 Pro Max, which was a 6.5 out of 10.
News Source: PBKreviews
