iFixit Details Which Parts Can Be Swapped Between the iPhone 8 and iPhone SE

[MacRumors]

iFixit today shared a new report detailing which parts from the new iPhone SE can be replaced with those from the iPhone 8. This comes just days after a teardown video shared on Thursday by a Chinese YouTuber also highlighted many of the similarities between the two devices.

iPhone 8 (left) and the new iPhone SE (right) via iFixit​

The report mentions that the 2020 iPhone SE's cameras, SIM tray, Taptic Engine, and the display assembly are all swappable with iPhone 8 parts. However, it is worth noting that True Tone functionality will be lost with any iPhone screen swap without access to a screen programmer.

The report also mentions that although some parts are very similar between the two devices, they aren't interchangeable. The home button is not interchangeable, so iFixit recommends substituting an aftermarket version of the home button or going directly to Apple in the event of a repair. The batteries on the iPhone 8 and iPhone SE look identical, but the report notes that the iPhone SE's battery logic board connector differs from that in the iPhone 8 and the two won't fit together.

iFixit was overall impressed with how the new iPhone SE uses several parts that many repair shops already have. iFixit's full teardown of the 2020 iPhone SE is currently in progress and is set to debut on Monday.

Article Link: iFixit Details Which Parts Can Be Swapped Between the iPhone 8 and iPhone SE

 

[farewelwilliams]

who cares, just let Apple care deal with it.

 

[ilikewhey]

Wait, are they saying it’s the same camera as the 8? And not an Xr camera?

edit: autocorrect changed xr to x-ray ?

 

[JosephAW]

If the iPhone SE is using the same case and parts of the iPhone 8 then why don't we see the exact same thing for an iPhone SE Plus using the iPhone 8 Plus parts?

The only reason I didn't purchase the iPhone SE is because I'm using an iPhone 7 Plus and don't want to go down in screen size and having the two cameras now that include the telephoto lens.

 

[Mdracer]

Cool... Let's hope criminals don't replace the front and back screen with the older 8 and try selling it as a new SE.

 

[muasachi]

If 3D Touch from iPhone 8 screen replacement works on iPhone SE, that would be totally awesome !

 

[danny842003]

If the iPhone SE is using the same case and parts of the iPhone 8 then why don't we see the exact same thing for an iPhone SE Plus using the iPhone 8 Plus parts?

The only reason I didn't purchase the iPhone SE is because I'm using an iPhone 7 Plus and don't want to go down in screen size and having the two cameras now that include the telephoto lens.

If you’re holding out on an SE plus I feel you’re going to be disappointed.

 

[tfresquezdxs]

If 3D Touch from iPhone 8 screen replacement works on iPhone SE, that would be totally awesome !

I was thinking the same thing. I would totally take a display form an 8 and put it on SE to get 3D touch and also to get a white front on a white phone.

 

[MauiPa]

I was thinking the same thing. I would totally take a display form an 8 and put it on SE to get 3D touch and also to get a white front on a white phone.

You will need a tool kit. Screw driver, hammer, duck tape, and super glue

 

[JPack]

Wait, are they saying it’s the same camera as the 8? And not an X-ray camera?

Was there any doubt?

 

[UK-MacAddict]

Just goes to show Apple could have charged this low price all along when the iPhone 8 came out originally and that none of the current line up is worth the £1000+ they are currently charging.

 

[PickUrPoison]

You will need a tool kit. Screw driver, hammer, duck tape, and super glue

Hmm, those are same four things I use to change the oil on my car.

 

[Plutonius]

So the phone that Apple is calling an SE is actually a rebranded iPhone 8 (with a few changes) ?

Why didn't Apple call the phone iPhone 8SE ?

 

[jonblatho]

I was thinking the same thing. I would totally take a display form an 8 and put it on SE to get 3D touch and also to get a white front on a white phone.

You would need to keep the black home button that came with the phone originally, though, or connect the white one which would be unusable.

 

[CrazyForCashews]

Why didn't Apple call the phone iPhone 8SE ?

Same reason they didn't call the original the iPhone 5SE.

Because looks can be deceiving.

 

[jonblatho]

Why didn't Apple call the phone iPhone 8SE ?

Because they didn’t feel like it.

 

[msp3]

Cool... Let's hope criminals don't replace the front and back screen with the older 8 and try selling it as a new SE.

You’ve just described the business model of illicit “repair shops”

 

[JPack]

So the phone that Apple is calling an SE is actually a rebranded iPhone 8 (with a few changes) ?

Why didn't Apple call the phone iPhone 8SE ?

For the same reason it would never be called iPhone 9. It makes zero sense to date a brand new product as being 2 years old. Calling it iPhone 8SE would be like Toyota introducing a 2017 RAV4 today.

 

[PickUrPoison]

Was there any doubt?

There shouldn’t be any doubt that Apple will have reused as many parts as possible from the iPhone 8 (or even earlier). That’s how you get a $399 price—older, cheaper parts. Definitely not by using more expensive parts from newer iPhones. That said, according to an earlier teardown, the rear camera modules are different.

The SE is a much better deal than the iPhone 8 that was $449 just a couple weeks ago. It’s an incredible value, I’m sure you agree!

 

[tCdemon]

Why?...what's the need for this?

 

[PickUrPoison]

Why?...what's the need for this?

I suppose to see which existing spare parts can also be used in the SE.

 

[magicschoolbus]

Would be interesting to know what kind of camera is in this iPhone. I’m going to say it’s probably something left over from the 6s or iPad line.

 

[kittycat40]

Would be interesting to know what kind of camera is in this iPhone. I’m going to say it’s probably something left over from the 6s or iPad line.

nope

 

[raybo]

Would be interesting to know what kind of camera is in this iPhone. I’m going to say it’s probably something left over from the 6s or iPad line.

Probably found it in Samsung's dumpster...

 

[tobybrut]

Just goes to show Apple could have charged this low price all along when the iPhone 8 came out originally and that none of the current line up is worth the £1000+ they are currently charging.

What it proves is that the SE can come down in price because 95% of the hardware R&D for the phone had already been expensed into making the iPhone 8. The parts may cost roughly the same, but the iPhone 8 had to make enough money to recover R&D costs. That includes all the engineering into designing the casing, antennas, motherboard, etc., along with the tooling in the factory to make these parts. That already being done two years ago, they don’t need to charge for it again in the SE. They still had some software R&D, but very little hardware R&D. If Apple had had to redesign this phone, you can guarantee it wouldn’t be selling for $399.