iPhone 16 simplifies battery removal, camera replacement and other repairs
Apple is making it easier to remove the battery in the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus models, as well as perform other repairs.
Apple is on a PR offensive today, with its representatives informing key tech publications that the iPhone 16 lineup simplifies battery removal by using adhesive that is easier to loosen up.
The move is in response to criticism from repair site iFixit, which gave the iPhone 15 lineup a repairability score of 4 out of 10, down from 7 for the iPhone 14 lineup.
iPhone 16 simplifies battery removal and other repairs
There’s now an entirely new way to remove the battery that’s supposed to make it easier. By running a low voltage electrical current through the new ionic liquid battery adhesive (using a 9V cell, for instance), the battery will release itself from the enclosure. This makes removal faster and safer compared to previous stretch release adhesives, according to the company.
TechCrunch notes that only the standard iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus models employ the new battery-removal process.
iPhone 16 battery tech
Apple’s press release notes that the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus have been “reengineered to allow for an even larger battery and to better dissipate heat, while making battery service easier.”
A separate press release announcing the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max does not mention this, but notes that the Pros use updated battery technology. “The battery is made with 100 percent recycled cobalt and — in a first for iPhone — over 95 percent recycled lithium,” it notes.
A rumor published before the iPhone 16 event claimed Apple would use a stainless steel case for the iPhone 16 Pro battery. Apple’s keynote video showed a slick animation of the iPhone 16’s internals that seems to confirm this, though a teardown analysis will provide a definitive answer.
Other repair changes for the iPhone 16 lineup
Additionally, Apple’s engineers made other changes to improve repairability of the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro models. These updates include the ability to swap the TrueDepth camera used for Face ID from one iPhone to another without the pairing process, using the new Repair Assistant feature in iOS 18. The TrueDepth camera can now be set up on-device without requiring a tethered Mac and the LiDAR scanner can also be repaired along with the rear camera module.
Also:
Finally, the company announced new support for third-party and used Apple parts. If a third-party part can’t be calibrated on Apple’s cloud-based servers, the iPhone or other device will try to activate the part and operate it to its full capability, while showing the repair history within settings.
And this:
Used Apple parts can soon be calibrated and will appear as a “used” part in the device’s repair history. Another future update will enable True Tone for third-party displays and battery health for third-party batteries. In addition, the LiDAR Scanner and front camera will still work when the module is replaced and left unconfigured.
The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro will launch on Friday, September 20.
Source link: https://www.idownloadblog.com/2024/09/18/apple-simplifies-repairs-iphone-16-remove-battery/
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