Apple is slowly producing its own devices easier to fixbut according to the repairable site, the iPhone 15 fell short in several key areas iFixit. Namely, the battery was difficult to remove, and the device had a “parts pairing” problem, which meant you couldn’t easily replace the LiDAR sensor from another phone. With these two problems iFixit He gave the iPhone 15 relatively low 4/10 repairability.
Apple has now released new iPhone 16 repair updates that seem to have fixed both these issues and more. It has particularly focused on the “repairable” aspect with its latest devices, saying it strives to strike a balance between durability and repairability.
Now there is a completely new way to remove the battery, which will make the job easier. By running a low voltage electric current through the new ionic liquid battery adhesive (eg using a 9V cell) the battery will remove itself from the case. According to the company, this makes removal faster and safer than previous stretchable adhesives.
At the same time, Apple has made changes to the Face ID sensor hardware, starting with the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro. Now the TrueDepth Camera can be swapped from one unit to another without compromising security or privacy. Previously, only Apple could do this kind of repair.
Another big change is the new Repair Assistant designed to solve part pairing issues. This allows customers and repair professionals to configure both new and used Apple parts directly on the device without the need to contact Apple staff. Repair shops previously had to order official components directly from Apple and contact an employee over the phone before accepting iOS individual part replacements.
Apple has also added new repairable modules and says the TrueDepth Camera can now be configured on-device for iPhone 12 and later models, eliminating the need for a Mac. In addition, the LiDAR scanner on the iPhone Pro models is now functional with the rear camera model.
Another big change is accessing diagnostics on the device. Starting with iOS 18, Apple diagnostics for repairs will be available on the device, so customers can determine which parts need to be replaced without the need for a second device.
Finally, the company announced new support for third-party and used Apple parts. If the third-party part fails to calibrate on Apple’s cloud-based servers, the iPhone or other device will try to activate the part and make it work at full capacity by showing the repair history in the settings. Used Apple parts may soon be calibrated and appear as a “used” part in the device’s repair history. Another upcoming update will bring True Tone for third-party displays and battery health for third-party batteries. Additionally, the LiDAR Scanner and front camera will still work when the module is replaced and not configured.
All told, the iPhone 16 series appears to have one of the biggest repairable jumps yet, with improvements in physical access, parts compatibility, and part pairing. We’ll soon see if this is reflected in iFixit’s expected repairability score.
