Aamir Siddiqui / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Apple has considerably improved the repairability of the iPhone 16 collection, making it simpler to interchange batteries, swap Face ID parts, and configure elements.
- The corporate has additionally expanded assist for third-party and used elements, probably decreasing restore prices and lowering e-waste.
Regardless of remaining tight-lipped about it in the course of the iPhone 16 launch occasion, Apple has quietly applied a collection of considerable enhancements to the repairability of its newest flagship units. Studies from Engadget and Tom’s Guide have make clear these under-the-radar modifications that promise to make iPhone 16 repairs simpler and extra accessible than ever earlier than.
One of the vital important upgrades entails battery substitute. The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus have completed away with the frustratingly cussed adhesive strips of earlier fashions, opting as an alternative for an modern “ionic liquid” battery adhesive. This new adhesive releases effortlessly when a low-voltage electrical present is utilized, making battery swaps faster, safer, and fewer inclined to wreck.
Apple has additionally tackled the complexities of Face ID repairs. With the iPhone 16 collection, the TrueDepth Digital camera, the core part of Face ID, can now be seamlessly swapped between items with out compromising safety or privateness. This marks a significant departure from the previous, the place such repairs had been solely dealt with by Apple itself. Moreover, the power to configure the TrueDepth digicam instantly on the iPhone has been added to iPhone 12 and newer fashions, eliminating the necessity for an exterior Mac.
A newly launched “Restore Assistant” additional streamlines the restore course of. It empowers prospects and impartial restore outlets to configure each new and used Apple elements instantly on the gadget, eliminating the earlier must contact Apple for elements pairing. On the software program entrance, iOS 18 will let customers run Apple diagnostics for restore on-device, enabling customers to pinpoint defective parts with no need one other gadget.
Higher third-party elements assist
In a transfer that’s prone to be welcomed by each environmentally acutely aware customers and right-to-repair advocates, Apple has considerably expanded its assist for third-party and used Apple elements. Used elements can now be formally calibrated by Apple’s cloud-based servers and will likely be clearly recognized as “used” within the gadget’s restore historical past.
Though third-party elements nonetheless can’t be formally calibrated, the iPhone 16 will try and activate and make the most of them to their “full functionality.” Future software program updates will even allow True Tone performance on third-party shows and supply battery well being info for third-party batteries, which wasn’t potential till now.
Cumulatively, these modifications characterize a significant stride ahead for Apple when it comes to repairability. The iPhone 16 collection seems to be one of the repair-friendly iPhone generations up to now, and we will solely hope that this turns into a development throughout the trade.
