iFixit Shares AirPods 4 and USB-C AirPods Max Teardown Video

[MacRumors]

Well-known electronics repair website iFixit today shared an AirPods 4 teardown video that offers a look inside Apple's latest wireless earbuds. Specifically, these are the entry-level AirPods 4 without active noise cancellation (ANC).

Unsurprisingly, iFixit said AirPods remain a "nightmare to take apart," with the earbuds earning a lowest-possible 0/10 score on iFixit's reparability scale.

The teardown does not reveal any major internal differences between the AirPods 3 and AirPods 4.

The charging case for the AirPods 4 without ANC is equipped with a 345 mAh battery. This is the same size battery as in the AirPods 3 charging case.

iFixit also opened up the revised AirPods Max, which launched alongside the AirPods 4 last month. Aside from a USB-C port instead of a Lightning port, the headphones have no major internal differences compared to the original AirPods Max.

Article Link: iFixit Shares AirPods 4 and USB-C AirPods Max Teardown Video

 

[Chiromac81]

Why bother tearing the max down when they already did one for the original and they are basically the exact same product!!

 

[Razorpit]

Why bother tearing the max down when they already did one for the original and they are basically the exact same product!!

Clicks and views...

 

[SactoGuy18]

I believe only the Fairphone Fairbuds are actually repairable, especially with battery replacement.

 

[sw1tcher]

I believe only the Fairphone Fairbuds are actually repairable, especially with battery replacement.

You can only replace the batteries on Fairbuds.

Only being able to replace batteries ≠ repairable

 

[sflagel]

How is it possible that there are no major differences between AirPods 3 and 4? Did they compare to the non-ANC version?

 

[thadoggfather]

I still dont get why we had to get rid of leather cases but disposable consumable electronics that mostly will end up in a landfill after a few years is OK.

Even as someone who isn't on their high horse about sustainability blah blah, it bothers me about AirPods to a degree.

 

[Tyler O'Bannon]

So you’re saying there’s NOT a chance?

 

[CharlesShaw]

Even as someone who isn't on their high horse about sustainability blah blah, it bothers me about AirPods to a degree.

Yeah, watching that video made me feel less pleased about my new AirPods 4. I won't live long enough enjoy 'Borg" tech that generates and recycles itself.

 

[lenningj]

Also other channels who could be referenced for a tear-down instead of i-complain

 

[Jhonjhon236]

Why bother tearing the max down when they already did one for the original and they are basically the exact same product!!

Because we didn’t know if Apple may have changed anything more internally.

 

[thejoshuabradshaw]

iWhine destroys a perfectly working consumable to state the obvious.

 

[ZornGottes]

my Airpods Max died after only 2,5 years of (admittedly lots of) use.
This update is one of the most underwhelming Apple's ever done, quite disappointed

 

[foobarbaz]

Why bother tearing the max down when they already did one for the original and they are basically the exact same product!!

In order to know that it's basically the exact same product rather than just assuming it.

 

[ignatius345]

I don't get all the hate for iFixit. To be sure, there's some self-interest in their advocating for repairability -- but they're doing the advocacy nonetheless. They're also offering some really useful guidance along with these teardowns. I managed to open up my old 2014 iMac, replace its HDD with an SSD, and glue the whole thing right back up using their instructions and their tool/parts kit. I got several more useful years out of that thing. Could I have done that by sourcing instructions and parts elsewhere? Maybe. But the fact that it was a one-stop shop took a lot of legwork out of the process. And they have a solid and growing library of documentation for other gear as well.

If you'll notice, Apple has made some progress in making parts, documentation and tools available in the past few years, and even changed some designs to make things like iPhone batteries easier for end-users to replace. I don't think they're doing that out of the goodness of their hearts, they're doing it because of growing pressure to do so, and trying to head off Right To Repair legislation at the pass.

When devices get more repairable, they get longer useful lives in the secondary market in places like the US, and in emerging economies where "unofficial" aftermarket repairs keep devices working. I think it's a right worth advocating for, and if iFixit makes a few bucks selling repair kits I sure don't have a problem with it.

 

[spaxxedout]

Why bother tearing the max down when they already did one for the original and they are basically the exact same product!!

Edit: Apple has confirmed the AP4 /APP2USBC are both lossless and low latency.

Haven't watched the teardown yet, but I'm glad they did this. The USB-C models dropped support for wired audio, and I'm curious to see if this means they removed some components from the new model (such as a DAC).

Unfortunate that they lack H2. It didn't get a lot of traction, but the new AirPods 4 join the APP2USBC in supporting the low latency codec for Vision Pro. EDIT ABOVE: Further, Apple seems to have dropped the lossless branding from this protocol. Really want to dig into this.

 

[Rigby]

Interesting. The video shows that there *is* a hardware difference between AP4 and AP4 ANC: the latter have a bigger microphone. So it's not just a software flag.

 

[subjonas]

I still dont get why we had to get rid of leather cases but disposable consumable electronics that mostly will end up in a landfill after a few years is OK.

Even as someone who isn't on their high horse about sustainability blah blah, it bothers me about AirPods to a degree.

I think the choice to forego leather was more about not using animal products.

 

[JosephAW]

OK that’s acceptable it gives me the answer the difference between the ANC versus non-ANC versions, one has a larger microphone, I would hate to have seen it only as a software switch that cost $50 more.

 

[JosephAW]

The best option is just to get the AppleCare warranty for the AirPods, after two years I took my old AirPods to Apple they tested them and said the speakers are failing along with the batteries and gave me another set

 

[spaxxedout]

Few notes:

- The new AirPods Max dropped wired audio support. Would really like to see if there were hardware changes in relation to this.
- Would like confirmation if the AirPods Max headband's lightning connector transfers data and power, or just power.
- The lightning APP2 support 5ghz (per FCC filing), but they can't do the new lossless protocol on Vision Pro because the USB-C version (and apparently AP4) have upgraded antennas. While the statement that the 2.4ghz + 5ghz combo enables the lossless feature makes sense, I don't think that's been 100% confirmed. There's unfortunately a lot of mystery around feature. Apple does confirm that AP4 and APP2 support lossless, low latency audio. However, that fact is strangely missing from the AP4 product / tech specs pages.

I really wish there was more testing with the lossless audio feature. I'm curious to see if multiple people with Vision Pros / AirPods Pro can use the feature while in the same room (confirming with latency tests that Apple isn't switching to standard bluetooth in this use case).

 

[SFjohn]

I think the choice to forego leather was more about not using animal products.

So they use plastic instead, that’s so environmentally irresponsible 🤯. Bad on Apple!

 

[ignatius345]

So they use plastic instead, that’s so environmentally irresponsible 🤯. Bad on Apple!

Cynically, I think a lot of this is about perception. There are certainly environmental costs associated with tanning leather (even if the animals themselves are already being used for food), and there are environmental costs obviously associated with production of plastic. It certainly sounds good to say you're phasing out leather, though! Would be very interested to see a real world breakdown of those impacts....

 

[SFjohn]

Cynically, I think a lot of this is about perception. There are certainly environmental costs associated with tanning leather (even if the animals themselves are already being used for food), and there are environmental costs obviously associated with production of plastic. It certainly sounds good to say you're phasing out leather, though! Would be very interested to see a real world breakdown of those impacts....

Well when it comes to breakdowns, plastic break down to micro plastics, and it’s in everything… our food, our bloodstreams and organs even our brains. And Apple is making more? I’ll take Leather any day, and the leather Apple used was not made with toxic chemicals. PETA is pleased, but honestly we’re all worse off. And don’t give me vegan leather, that’s just another name for plastic. 🤬

 

[Heat_Fan89]

Well at least the AP4 are environmentally friendly. 😂