With the release of iPhone 16, Apple introduced an improved battery replacement process that will make it easier to do it yourself. iFixit demonstrated how you can remove a battery in just 5 seconds using a low voltage electrical current.
Image Source: Apple
This year, the base model of the iPhone 16 differs from the Pro versions not only externally, but also internally – in cheaper models, for the first time, an electrically removable adhesive is used for the battery case, making it easier to replace, writes The Verge. Using official Apple documentation released at the same time as the smartphone’s release, iFixit tested how it works in practice and were impressed.
Image source: iFixit
After disconnecting the battery from the board, a power source, such as a 9-volt battery, is connected to it for 90 seconds. Under the influence of current, the glue loses its properties, and the battery easily falls out of the case under its own weight. To install a new battery, simply press it against the case and the adhesive will self-activate under pressure. Note that the experts acted according to Apple’s instructions, which also met the technical requirements of the manufacturer of the innovative glue Tesa.
Image source: Tesa
During the disassembly, experts simultaneously discovered that the camera control button is actually a physical button that moves, and the flexible cable is most likely designed to measure pressing force. They also drew attention to the cooling element, apparently intended for the A18 processor, which gets very hot when performing high-performance tasks, including those related to artificial intelligence.
Image source: iFixit
Apple notes that over time, the current may take longer to disconnect the battery, but on newer phones this may take as little as five seconds (using up to 30 volts).