The iFixit team has done a full teardown of Apple’s newest iPhones, the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro. The teardown reveals the use of many similar key components between the two devices and just how many decisions Apple had to take keeping 5G in mind.
One of the key differences between the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro is that the latter features a triple-camera system which includes a 2x telephoto lens. Despite the different camera setup though, Apple is using the same camera connector and logic board for both devices using a clever socket sharing system. In fact, the iFixit team managed to install the iPhone 12 Pro’s triple-camera system on the iPhone 12 and even got the telephoto module to work albeit at 1x. The display modules on both iPhones are also the same and interchangeable, though that should not be surprising since they both feature a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR panel.
The internal layout of both devices is also very similar, with the iPhone 12 having a plastic spacer where the iPhone 12 Pro has a telephoto and LiDAR sensor. Another major change internally on the new iPhones is the amount of space Apple has had to make for the 5G components from Qualcomm. It has led the company to redesign the entire logic board which has grown in size. Apple has also had to make a few other design compromises to fit the 5G components which include using a smaller battery and Taptic Engine, redesigning the speaker chamber, and more.
iFixit does note that Apple’s design team has focused on display and battery replacements with the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro design as they are relatively easy to do. All other major components inside the device like the SIM card slot, Lightning connector, etc. are also modular and easy to replace. And unlike other smartphone OEMs, Apple has used screws to hold components inside the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro instead of using copious amounts of glue. Overall, the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro received a respectable repairability score of 6 out of 10 from iFixit which is much better than many of Apple’s other products.
[Via iFixit]
