iFixit Shares Full iPhone 12 and 12 Pro Teardown Revealing Interchangeable Displays and Batteries

[itsmilo]

I am not concerned with iFixit’s score. If I have a problem with my iPhone, I go to Apple for the fix. As expensive as Apple is, I don’t trust myself or any third party company to repair Apple devices.

i had a little crack on my iPhone 6S screen back in the day, like not even in the visible display area and Apple refused to replace the battery without also fixing the display which would have cost more than just getting a used iPhone 6S so I walked out and got it replaced within minutes at a random Turkish place. Still works great as a secondary device to this day. Why force me to fix something I don’t ask to be fixed.

 

[Apple_Robert]

i had a little crack on my iPhone 6S screen back in the day, like not even in the visible display area and Apple refused to replace the battery without also fixing the display which would have cost more than just getting a used iPhone 6S so I walked out and got it replaced within minutes at a random Turkish place. Still works great as a secondary device to this day. Why force me to fix something I don’t ask to be fixed.

You weren’t forced to fix the display. You were given a choice and you made the decision. Apple has had that same policy for years so, it shouldn’t have been a surprise to you.

I get that not everyone has the money or wants to spend a lot of money paying Apple repair prices after the fact. And for many people, going to a third party works. For me, I won’t take that chance with my expensive toys.

 

[Wanted797]

I am not concerned with iFixit’s score. If I have a problem with my iPhone, I go to Apple for the fix. As expensive as Apple is, I don’t trust myself or any third party company to repair Apple devices.

Why did you open this article then?

 

[Apple_Robert]

Why did you open this article then?

Because I wanted to see what they found inside and was curious as to the layout of the hardware. I don’t base my buying decision on what iFixit says about the ease of repairability outside of Apple. Do that many people around here base buying decisions on iFixit?

 

[Ramchi]

Identical vs interchangeable!! 🤣🤣🤣 that might upset certain quarters !!

 

[Ramchi]

Super anecdotal, but I cracked the lens on the rear camera on my iPhone X. Apple charged like $550 or something in that ballpark for the fix, so I went to some random shop around me who said they’d do it for $60. So... they replaced it, but they scratched the metal a little bit, and accidentally cut part of the camera. So I took it back and he replaced the camera, but had to remove the display and go through the front of the phone... he didn’t seal the display down as well as it was originally, so if you pressed on the right side of the display, it had some give and you could see the screen depress and hear a bit of a squeezing sound. I figured the poorly sealed display wasn’t that big of a deal, but he didn’t have a filter grill piece to cover the microphone and said it was broken when the lens broke, so it got super dusty and the pictures turned out really poorly. I took it back again and he ordered a lens cover with the microphone filter. So I came back a few days later to get the dust cleaned out and a new lens and filter installed, but a week or so later the lens was all dusty again. I ended up selling the phone for a discount to a buyer (and disclosed the screen issue and dust in the camera, which is why I sold it cheap).

I ended up getting the iPhone 11 which I wanted to try anyways due to PWM, which was a great decision. Cheaper than getting the iPhone X fixed through Apple, and much faster and better pictures.

I still don’t regret not getting AppleCare though. I’ve saved tons of money over the years by not getting AppleCare, so even if I paid Apple to get it fixed, I still would be ahead in the long run. The way I see it, insurance is offered because it is profitable to the company. Apple makes more money from people who pay into the insurance than they lose by paying to fix or replace stuff. Anything I can afford (phone, TV, computer, coffee maker, vacuum, etc), I think it’s a waste to buy insurance for as it costs the average consumer more money. In addition to being cheaper in the long run, I ended up upgrading my phone which I wouldn’t have done right then if insurance fixed the screen.

Absolutely....these insurances completely not required by paying additional. In my place for my iPhone 11 Pro Max the network provider gives protection (though never had to try that so far in terms actual claims) which is sufficient for my type of usage. It gives me some comfort level but even if that is not available from my Network provider, I still wouldn't have opted for these protection plans. Put a case & screen guard, that's all I have been doing....

 

[ArmCortexA8]

No point having any water resistance because as soon as water gets it and triggers stickers internally, Apple's warranty is void.

 

[Abazigal]

The X chips usually have better GPU performance. The A12X/Z still performs better in some GPU tasks than the plain A14. Also, the X chip is designed for larger form factors in mind.

Ax series chips likely also consume more power. That’s why we see them in iPads, where battery life is less of a concern.

 

[MrCrowbar]

I do like how the regular iPhone 12 wasn't too crippled. Apparently only max brightness, photo and video formats and RAM, all things that most iPhone users won't even notice. LIDAR and the telephoto lens (and how they interact) are what's really setting the 12 Pro apart from the regular one for the average person, i.e. the ability to make face portraits in weird lighting conditions.

I got used to selfies with the significant other as a means of keeping memories. Having night mode, 12 megapixels and the faceID sensor for better auto-focus (?) on the front camera is a big deal for me.

What I'm most happy about is that the 12 mini appears to be identical to the 12 except with smaller display and battery. I'm sure something else (maybe RAM?) is less on the mini as well but so far it's a flagship phone in s more compact form.

 

[breather]

"increased chance of breakage due to glass on the front and back"

Well... you got to have glass on the front of the thing.....

 

[eastwoodandy]

I used to stand with the “right to repair” argument but not anymore. I had a screen replacement at an independent shop that was not an Apple authorized place and after 3 repairs that each were not satisfactory the screen was horrible. They replaced my cracked XS Max OLED with a second rate LCD, with each of the 3 LCDs having a different color profile. I gave them 3 chances and finally gave up and settled.

From here on out, I’ll only buy AppleCare and have Apple service the display. Is that what they want and how they “get you”? Maybe it is, but I want my stuff fixed correctly, so whatever.

Would you say the same about a car?
If you got the same level of service from a car mechanic, you’d just go to a more reputable company next time - market forces.

 

[noraa]

Actually as per I fixit the screens are exactly the same. Interchangeable. Apple limits the nits via software limiting. The screens are the same. Exactly the same to be exact. The screen is brighter in only some conditions. That's it.

More ram. Yes that is a benefit.Telephoto lens. Yup. Stainless steel. No. I had the pro models for the last three years. I waited for a OLED aluminum iphone. Apple is really good at marketing. Very good. SS inferior to 7075 aluminum. 7075 aluminum cost twice as much. It is a more expensive metal, while SS is relatively cheap by comparison. Scratch resistance is relatively the same. How many reviewers say " more premium metal" 👍😂. When in reality it's cheaper and less premium.

7075 Aluminum vs. AISI 304 Stainless Steel :: MakeItFrom.com

www.makeitfrom.com

High tensile aluminum allows the phone to run cooler as 7075 aluminum has over twice the heat conductivity as SS. Possible better performance. This is more important to me than the possible benefit of more ram.

The pro models are much heavier. Feels like a paper weight in your pocket. Also the cost difference is $150 without applecare. $200 with as Apple care costs $50 more for the pro models. So that's $200, not $150.

So for $200 more you are getting a telephoto lens, same camera, same screen, cheaper steel, a phone that runs hotter, and weighs more, 2gb more ram.

Different perspective isn't it? To each their own, but the 12 pro is the worst deal in the line up. In my opinion.

As I stated, to each their own. I was simply pointing at the differences, everyone can decide whether those differences are worth the price or not.

As for the screens though, you're wrong in your assertion. iFixit noted that the displays are swappable, but they are different, something they claimed their going to explore more of. Whether those differences are purely software based or hardware based we can't say for sure at this moment. However, regardless of whether it is software or hardware, if the 12 can only go up to 625nits and the 12 Pro can go up to 800nits, that is a difference plain and simple. And, if it is indeed software, it will probably take a jailbreak to increase the brightness on the 12 to match that of the 12 Pro.

Again, I'm not saying the 12 Pro is worth the extra $ vs the regular 12, just that there are enough differences for a certain segment of users that those differences are worth the extra $.

For me personally, I've currently got the 11 Pro Max. Not sure if I'm going to upgrade to the 12, but if I do it'll be to either the 12 Pro or 12 (the screen on the 11 Pro Max is really nice, but it is so very big). I really like having a telephoto lens, and LIDAR has been pretty cool to use on the iPad Pro (2020) - though its use case hasn't really presented itself yet, and I know 6GB of RAM does make a difference, albeit minor, in day to day use. With that being said, my primary reason to go with the 12 Pro would be for that telephoto lens, and I'm really not sure if it's worth the extra $150/$200 with AppleCare.

 

[Abazigal]

I do like how the regular iPhone 12 wasn't too crippled. Apparently only max brightness, photo and video formats and RAM, all things that most iPhone users won't even notice. LIDAR and the telephoto lens (and how they interact) are what's really setting the 12 Pro apart from the regular one for the average person, i.e. the ability to make face portraits in weird lighting conditions.

The iPhone 12 doesn't seem to have been crippled in any noticeable way. What Apple seems to have done is basically add an extra 2gb of ram to allow for the image editing capabilities to work in the 12pro without needing to kill too many other apps in the background (which I recall was a common complaint about the 11 pro max). It's essentially hardware-driven software differentiation.

If you don't need this functionality, then the 4gb ram in the iPhone 12 should serve the average user just fine. It's a solid phone all round from what I can see, though 64gb of base storage might be cutting it a little close at this point. I would personally never choose a phone with less than 256gb, but that's because all my media and cloud storage files are also synced locally to my iOS devices, which take up a fair amount of storage overall.

 

[manu chao]

I am not concerned with iFixit’s score. If I have a problem with my iPhone, I go to Apple for the fix. As expensive as Apple is, I don’t trust myself or any third party company to repair Apple devices.

With older devices, replacing something like a screen can cost you easily more than twice what the device is worth on the used market. That is the point where using third-party repair services are a bet worth making.

 

[Neeldenn]

With all the rumors floating around before the release regarding the promotion display, I’d love to know if the 12 Pro’s display is capable of a 90Hz refresh rate from a hardware standpoint. If so, maybe there’s a way to activate it with a jailbreak?! 😆

 

[otternonsense]

Damn, that's a massive step backwards. After the great job they did on the 11 Pro, they totally cheaped out on the 12 Pro models this year; worse, shrinking the batteries across models and putting the spotlight on the MagSafe gimmick instead. 5G, smaller battery, possible heat related battery health issues, do not make things look great in the long run for battery lifespan.

More than that: it shows a confused, sloppy product line vision and need for consolidation. Both the iPhone 12 and 2020 iPad Air are cannibalising their Pro counterparts. Be it for merchandising more SKUs or lack of courage, they could have just scrapped both 12 Pro and 11" iPad Pro, making sure they combine the available resources to deliver ONE great device at a sweeter price point than ship a confusing pair of near-twins on either front.

Think about it:
iPhone: 12 mini, 12, 12 Pro Max
iPad: iPad, iPad Air, iPad 12.9" Pro

 

[Prof.]

Glass on front and back doubles the likelihood of drop damage—and if the back glass breaks, you'll be removing every component and replacing the entire chassis.

Bruh...

Makes me wonder if apple does, indeed, replace the glass or just gives you a whole new phone. Because that sounds annoying asf.

 

[manu chao]

Damn, that's a massive step backwards. After the great job they did on the 11 Pro, they totally cheaped out on the 12 Pro models this year; worse, shrinking the batteries across models

Or they've just decided to keep the battery life the same using their set of chosen benchmarks (which their published numbers pretty much show). Look, if there are ten different battery life benchmarks and three of them show a shorter battery life, six about the same, and three a longer battery life, the public will cry murder and they say how dare they.

 

[vgmrm]

I am not concerned with iFixit’s score. If I have a problem with my iPhone, I go to Apple for the fix. As expensive as Apple is, I don’t trust myself or any third party company to repair Apple devices.

I prefer Apple official too, but outside of the support period, Apple forces you to repair it yourself or in an unofficial service.

 

[az431]

No, they are just saying it complicates repairs, which is true.

maybe you nees to read the article again because thata not all they’re saying.

 

[Yebubbleman]

They really seem to have intended the 12 to be just a stripped down 12 Pro, rather than how it was with the 11 series. I was already not jazzed about the increased price of the non-Pro 11, but the idea that it's basically Apple trying to cheapen the 12 Pro (in an effort to sway me to pay more for the actual 12 Pro) adds insult to injury.

 

[Apple_Robert]

I prefer Apple official too, but outside of the support period, Apple forces you to repair it yourself or in an unofficial service.

If your AC+ expires and you need service, Apple will still repair your device for a set fee. You aren’t forced to fix it yourself or with an unofficial service, unless the Apple device is too old or you live in a country that does not have any Apple store or approved third party stores.

 

[az431]

look at all that space that could be used for battery instead for tri-lenses and a notch that eats in your screen.

so your proposal is to add an additional hour of battery life to a phone that already lasts all day by removing FaceID, the front camera, the telephoto lens, and wide angle lens?

Yeah makes perfect sense. You should have cancer and world hunger solved by tomorrow.

 

[Abazigal]

More than that: it shows a confused, sloppy product line vision and need for consolidation. Both the iPhone 12 and 2020 iPad Air are cannibalising their Pro counterparts. Be it for merchandising more SKUs or lack of courage, they could have just scrapped both 12 Pro and 11" iPad Pro, making sure they combine the available resources to deliver ONE great device at a sweeter price point than ship a confusing pair of near-twins on either front.

Devil's advocate - what if this segmentation is due to shortage of components?

Remember - Apple sells just under 200 million iPhones a year. This means that if you want to ship a single model to everyone, you need that many copies of every component, whether the consumer needs them or not.

For example, if I had 200 OLED screens and only 50 lidar scanners, do I produce only 50 iPhones? No, I find a way to make another 150 iPhones that don't need said feature that is in limited supply. At the same time, I ensure that they use as similar components as possible to benefit from economies of scale where possible.

I imagine that it might be wasteful to bundle a hardware feature like Lidar into every iPad and iPhone when not everyone necessarily needs the AR capabilities right away, and maybe Apple simply wasn't able to procure anywhere near that quantity? Rather than needlessly constrain the number of iPhones that can be produced this way, limit them to your more expensive models, which in turn limits the number of people who would get one.

Remember that Apple is no longer your scrappy underdog bouncing back from the brink. They are a huge company with close to a billion iPhone users, and the scale at which they operate is also their biggest weakness, because the best hardware feature on the market is moot if Apple cannot obtain enough quantities to include it in their products.

From a logistics POV, increased product segmentation, not consolation, seems like the way moving forward.

 

[ani4ani]

so your proposal is to add an additional hour of battery life to a phone that already lasts all day by removing FaceID, the front camera, the telephoto lens, and wide angle lens?

Yeah makes perfect sense. You should have cancer and world hunger solved by tomorrow.

The truth of the matter is, Android flagships, have more components, e.g. SD slots, more memory, "bigger" processors [7 nm v 5 nm], more cameras, sometimes with real optical periscope, often a headphone jack [e.g. Mate Pro 40], and yet do this with a smaller body, that weighs less and still manage to fit 60+% bigger batteries in their phones?