Apple has significantly improved the repairability of the iPhone 16 series, making it easier to replace batteries, swap out Face ID components, and configure parts.
Despite remaining mum on the iPhone 16 launch event, Apple has quietly rolled out a number of significant repairability improvements to its latest flagship devices. Reports from Engadget and Tom's Guide have shed light on these little-known changes that promise to make iPhone 16 repairs easier and more accessible than ever.
Repairing your iPhone 16 yourself just got easier.
For starters, removing the battery on the iPhone 16 models is now much simpler. Instead of the annoying sticky adhesive strip of the past, the company has used a new ionic liquid adhesive that separates the battery when running a low voltage current, with less risk of damaging the power supply or other components.
Repairers also don’t have to worry about replacing the infrared TrueDepth camera system that handles Face ID, as these parts can be swapped between devices without compromising security. The new Repair Assistant allows both technicians and users of Apple’s “do-it-yourself” program to set up the parts on the device itself, whether it’s new or used.
Additionally, the iPhone 16 will attempt to activate used or third-party components and take full advantage of them, including unofficial batteries and True Tone-compatible displays. These will show up in the user's device repair history.
Apple has been gradually improving its iPhone repairability since 2021, when it announced its own repair program. This includes design changes that make the products easier to service, such as the more accessible front and back glass of the iPhone 14.
Repair laws forced Apple to loosen restrictions on disassembling phones.
The company has little choice in some respects as various right-to-repair laws are being introduced in different countries that require companies to provide users with better repairability. Apple has had to comply with and even endorse some of the proposed laws, but change will take time.
The repair upgrades on the iPhone 16 don't make it easy for anyone to service their phone, but they could make the difference between trying to salvage a broken device and recycling it or throwing it away as e-waste.
