Apple iPhone 6s Plus Teardown Reveals Slight Battery Downgrade
The steady handed tech surgeons at iFixIt wasted no time getting their mitts on an iPhone 6s Plus model and gutting it like a Halloween pumpkin. Along with the non-Plus version, Apple released its new flagship iPhone models to retail today and the big question everyone wants to know is, will it blend?
Second to our morbid curiosity of what happens to electronics when they're shoved into a high power blender is the level of difficulty involved when attempting a do-it-yourself (DIY) repair. In the case of the iPhone 6s Plus, tearing into the device to replace the battery or other parts is an attainable goal.
Opening the iPhone 6s Plus is rather easy if you have the right tool. Unfortunately Apple is still using those pesky Pentalobe screws and an adhesive strip along the perimeter of the display. However, iFixIt has tools for both jobs, including the iSchlack, a handy gadget that applies suction cups to the top and bottom of iPhone devices.
Inside the iPhone 6s Plus is a different matter -- traditional Phillips screws abound. Once you dig down to the battery, you'll also find three adhesive pull tabs that make pulling it out a cinch (just be sure to pull the tabs "exactly right").
According to the teardown, Apple downgraded the battery in the iPhone 6s Plus to 2,750mAh, which is 165mAh lower than the regular iPhone 6 Plus. Nevertheless, Apple maintains the same battery life claims -- 14 hours of 3G talk time, 10 hours of Internet use, and up to 10 days on standby.
When all was said and done, the iPhone 6s Plus scored a 7 out of 10 "Repairability Score," where higher scores are better. On the plus side, iFixIt notes that the display assembly is the first component out, which simplifies screen repairs, and the battery is straightforward to access. As for the negatives, the Touch ID cable is paired to the logic board, which complicates repairs, and those those darn Pentalobe screws require a specialty screwdriver to remove.
Second to our morbid curiosity of what happens to electronics when they're shoved into a high power blender is the level of difficulty involved when attempting a do-it-yourself (DIY) repair. In the case of the iPhone 6s Plus, tearing into the device to replace the battery or other parts is an attainable goal.
Opening the iPhone 6s Plus is rather easy if you have the right tool. Unfortunately Apple is still using those pesky Pentalobe screws and an adhesive strip along the perimeter of the display. However, iFixIt has tools for both jobs, including the iSchlack, a handy gadget that applies suction cups to the top and bottom of iPhone devices.
Inside the iPhone 6s Plus is a different matter -- traditional Phillips screws abound. Once you dig down to the battery, you'll also find three adhesive pull tabs that make pulling it out a cinch (just be sure to pull the tabs "exactly right").
According to the teardown, Apple downgraded the battery in the iPhone 6s Plus to 2,750mAh, which is 165mAh lower than the regular iPhone 6 Plus. Nevertheless, Apple maintains the same battery life claims -- 14 hours of 3G talk time, 10 hours of Internet use, and up to 10 days on standby.
When all was said and done, the iPhone 6s Plus scored a 7 out of 10 "Repairability Score," where higher scores are better. On the plus side, iFixIt notes that the display assembly is the first component out, which simplifies screen repairs, and the battery is straightforward to access. As for the negatives, the Touch ID cable is paired to the logic board, which complicates repairs, and those those darn Pentalobe screws require a specialty screwdriver to remove.
