iFixit Completes iPhone 5c Teardown, Highlights Include Durable Shell, Larger Battery

[MacRumors]

Following last night's teardown of the iPhone 5s, iFixit has completed its iPhone 5c teardown. Unsurprisingly, the iPhone 5c's dismantling has revealed numerous similarities with the iPhone 5, including nearly identical innards with matching A6 processors.

While the internals and form factor are largely the same, the iPhone 5c is slightly thicker and heavier than the iPhone 5 and due to its polycarbonate shell. The 5c also has a larger battery, measuring in at 1510 mAh compared to the 1440 mAh battery of the iPhone 5, and it shares camera parts with the iPhone 5s, though the latter has a larger aperture. iFixit found that the plastic shell was nearly impossible to bend, largely because of its heft - the rear case weighs in at 43.8 grams.

We may not have super strength, but we put this case to the muscle test, anyway. The results: this lacquered plastic is as strong and blue as Captain Planet.

It's good to know that, though the rear panel is made with plastic to presumably cut costs, Apple did not compromise build quality in the process.

iFixit gave the iPhone 5c a 6 out of 10 repairability score, one point lower than the iPhone 5 and the same score given to the iPhone 5s, due to the lack of the pull tab on the battery, the proprietary screws, and the considerable amount of adhesive used to hold the phone together. iFixit has a number of other pictures and a detailed rundown of the iPhone 5c dismantling process on its website.

Article Link: iFixit Completes iPhone 5c Teardown, Highlights Include Durable Shell, Larger Battery

 

[Klae17]

Love me some solid construction. Now can we get solid colors instead of pastels?

 

[AngerDanger]

And here I was, expecting the removal of the plastic shell to reveal a disguised iPhone 5. Oh well…

 

[0029937]

Someone put a blue 5c in his hand

 

[TeamMojo]

I give iFixit a 6 out of 10 in their ability to understand that companies do not necessarily build products to be repairable by iFixit with many good reasons. For example more glue strengthens the substrate and overall monolithic nature of the device to survive falls, etc. And tamper resistant screws prevent the inexperienced from delving in to areas where they wish they had not. Such screws are quite common all throughout industry.

Oh, and let's not forget, that iFixit conveniently has a link to THEIR pentalobe screwdriver set and tools all throughout their allegedly unbiased and democratic reviews that score repair-ability devices for the good of mankind.

Funny that.

 

[ikramerica]

I give iFixit a 6 out of 10 in their ability to understand that companies do not necessarily build products to be repairable by iFixit with many good reasons. For example more glue strengthens the substrate and overall monolithic nature of the device to survive falls, etc. And tamper resistant screws prevent the inexperienced from delving in to areas where they wish they had not. Such screws are quite common all throughout industry.

Oh, and let's not forget, that iFixit conveniently has a link to THEIR pentalobe screwdriver set and tools all throughout their allegedly unbiased and democratic reviews that score repair-ability devices for the good of mankind.

Funny that.

Their screwdriver kit and spudgers have helped me greatly. Otherwise, I agree that the repairability of a phone isn't a buying point. I don't recall them even caring if they could repair my old Motorola phones, or sony phones, etc. Then again, the batteries were user accessible...

 

[pmz]

Here's a better idea iFixit:

Don't rate products on their ability to be taken apart, like its some radioshack knock off from 1993.

 

[thefourthpope]

I'm glad to have another link for all those forum threads about how cheap the C is and anybody dumb enough to buy one doesn't know anything about phones because plastic!?!

 

[macsrcool1234]

I give iFixit a 6 out of 10 in their ability to understand that companies do not necessarily build products to be repairable by iFixit with many good reasons. For example more glue strengthens the substrate and overall monolithic nature of the device to survive falls, etc. And tamper resistant screws prevent the inexperienced from delving in to areas where they wish they had not. Such screws are quite common all throughout industry.

Oh, and let's not forget, that iFixit conveniently has a link to THEIR pentalobe screwdriver set and tools all throughout their allegedly unbiased and democratic reviews that score repair-ability devices for the good of mankind.

Funny that.

I give your reading comprehension a 2/10. Obviously you miss the entire point of the website.

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

I give iFixit a 6 out of 10 in their ability to understand that companies do not necessarily build products to be repairable by iFixit with many good reasons. For example more glue strengthens the substrate and overall monolithic nature of the device to survive falls, etc. And tamper resistant screws prevent the inexperienced from delving in to areas where they wish they had not. Such screws are quite common all throughout industry.

Oh, and let's not forget, that iFixit conveniently has a link to THEIR pentalobe screwdriver set and tools all throughout their allegedly unbiased and democratic reviews that score repair-ability devices for the good of mankind.

Funny that.

iFixit is a great website. I have a lot of respect for the time and effort they put into their breakdowns. They sell stuff to help people fix their iPhones? No way! You mean they are a company and make money by providing a service? Someone jail them all, quick.

 

[elMacJunkie]

i wonder if i can use a 5C battery on my 5.

 

[Gudi]

I wonder if i can use a 5C battery on my 5.

You can't. The 5c logic board is smaller to allow for a bigger battery.
Thats why all the talk about the 5c being just a 5 in a plastic shell is just bull.

Its a new phone with an old cpu in it.

 

[westcoastin]

But does it blend?

 

[Jimrod]

You can't. The 5c logic board is smaller to allow for a bigger battery.
Thats why all the talk about the 5c being just a 5 in a plastic shell is just bull.

Its a new phone with an old cpu in it.

And old screen, which is a pretty substantial part of a modern phone...

 

[TeamMojo]

I give your reading comprehension a 2/10. Obviously you miss the entire point of the website.

Don't misunderstand. iFixit is a great website, and their products are great and I use them frequently. I just think their tone of scoring stuff and their pithy attitude is BS. Just stick to delivering good content and tools and dispense with the holier than thou repairability ratings BS.

 

[brand]

Love me some solid construction. Now can we get solid colors instead of pastels?

The 5C only comes in solid colors.

 

[Gudi]

And old screen, which is a pretty substantial part of a modern phone...

Its a phone so the most substantial part of it is the (also new) baseband chip.
Now supporting all the LTE frequencies in Europe. Which gives the 5c a real advantage over the 5.

 

[pubwvj]

Good on more battery. I would really like Apple to use the 'grabbing-power-out-of-the-air' and solar cell skin so that the devices are constantly charging them selves when they have resources. Power's free if you know where to look. The consumption is getting low enough that these could make a big difference extending battery life.

 

[lathode]

Here's a better idea iFixit:

Don't rate products on their ability to be taken apart, like its some radioshack knock off from 1993.

But that's sort of the point of the website...

 

[macs4nw]

Gwendolyn is charming and soooo cute…..

 

[Battlefield Fan]

IFixit is a waste of digital space. Blah

 

[henrypham120190]

Make it water resistant and you'll go home with daddy

 

[Nancy Nally]

They don't have "matching A6 processors". The 5s has an A7 processor.

 

[SVTmaniac]

They don't have "matching A6 processors". The 5s has an A7 processor.

They were talking about the iPhone 5, not the 5s.

 

[thekev]

Here's a better idea iFixit:

Don't rate products on their ability to be taken apart, like its some radioshack knock off from 1993.

The entire site is dedicated to budget methods of fixing electronics. If you dislike that, it has nothing truly interesting to offer beyond a peek under the hood of new hardware.