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The iFixit team has finished their teardown of Apple’s new iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro models, giving consumers an under-the-hood look at what makes the devices work, what has changed from the previous model, and the kinds of difficulties one may face are trying to fix the phone on their own. In addition to disassembling the iPhone 12, the team also disassembled the MagSafe power puck featured with the new models.
Unsurprisingly, the teardown of the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro models began with removing a few Pentalobe screws and then using suction cups, heat, and picks to open things up. The iFixit team notes that their engineers experienced several difficulties during this process, raising questions about whether the adhesive used to hold things together has been modified.
This time the iPhone is opened from the right edge and once the screen is removed the differences between the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro are not very noticeable. However, things change as the teardown goes deeper, with iFixit noting that the iPhone 12 Pro has an additional snapper and the iPhone 12 has a plastic spacer in the vacuum where the LiDAR scanner is located on the Pro model.
The larger logic board found in these models likely explains why Apple flipped the sides used for the battery and SIM tray, the latter of which is modular in nature and easy to remove. Apple opted for common, easy-to-remove Philips screws for the speakers, as well as an orange rubber gasket in place of the adhesive, somewhat similar to Samsung’s design, making things much easier for repair technicians.
Ultimately, the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro received a respectable repairability score of 6 out of 10, with iFixit explaining that the design prioritizes battery and screen replacements and that many other major components are modular in nature, making it easy to replace. .
On the other hand, the extra waterproofing on this model will make it harder to repair and the reduction in adhesive usage means there are more screws to remove and track. The only negative mark is the inclusion of glass on both sides of the model, a fragile design element that would require a full chassis replacement if the glass breaks.
