Teardown Shows Off the Guts of the iPad Pro's Smart Keyboard

[WarHeadz]

iFixit is a joke where I work. I work at a mobile device repair shop. They rated the iPad 3 with a 2/10 repairability score. It's pure BS. We fix them every single day and it's not that difficult. So a perfectly fixable iPad has a reparability score just 2 points above an accessory that was never meant to be repaired in the first place? Also, the tools that they sell are garbage. You would think iFixit could master the fine art of making a phillips screwdriver that you don't have to press down hard to use and potentially damage a logic board. Morons.


And what's with those stupid suction cups they use to open iPhones? No one uses those in a professional setting. We use an iSesamo which is an amazing prying tool and it's cheap. Of course iFixit doesn't sell anything similar. Probably for the better because if they did sell it their version would probably suck anyway, like with everything else.

 

[canesalato]

Who the F cares.

You don't care. Other people care.
Simple and no need for the F word

 

[lianregnif]

These 'tear-downs' and rating for repairabilty are so ten years ago. Honestly, who cares?

I cared enough to read the article, read the comments, and to reply that I cared.

 

[jmpnop]

How can you feel ripped off by something that's completely optional?

Buying anything is completely optional too. That doesn't make the price reasonable though. And in the case of iPad Pro, it makes sense to get the keyboard and pencil to make it more productive than just a glorified iPad.

 

[Rogifan]

I think it's amusing that Apple portrays itself as a "green", environmentally responsible company, and then proceeds to introduce new products that have zero repairability and can't be recycled. More corporate hypocrisy from Cook and the Boyz.

What can't be recycled?

 

[MH01]

I care. There is a number of products I did not buy due to the inability to service/upgrade them in the iMac/laptop segment.

 

[blacktape242]

the fact that apple is making things less repairable and non user customizable pisses me off.

 

[Michael Goff]

I think it's amusing that Apple portrays itself as a "green", environmentally responsible company, and then proceeds to introduce new products that have zero repairability and can't be recycled. More corporate hypocrisy from Cook and the Boyz.

Green products have to do with recycling, not repairing.

 

[Pakaku]

...No details on the smart connector? Or did I just miss that?

Never mind, I did

 

[Pakaku]

the fact that apple is making things less repairable and non user customizable pisses me off.

It's a weather-proofed keyboard, what did you expect?

 

[Bubba Satori]

Green products have to do with recycling, not repairing.

Surely, it has to do with repairability.
When an iGizmo can be repaired instead of a new one being manufactured
it keeps the Antarctic from melting and makes Al Gore happy.

 

[Bubba Satori]

I'm still waiting for the first negative repairability score of an Apple product on ifixit

iPencil.

 

[kds1]

You don't care. Other people care.
Simple and no need for the F word

And what is it that other people care about?

 

[solipsism]

iFixit is a joke where I work. I work at a mobile device repair shop. They rated the iPad 3 with a 2/10 repairability score. It's pure BS. We fix them every single day and it's not that difficult. So a perfectly fixable iPad has a reparability score just 2 points above an accessory that was never meant to be repaired in the first place? Also, the tools that they sell are garbage. You would think iFixit could master the fine art of making a phillips screwdriver that you don't have to press down hard to use and potentially damage a logic board. Morons.

That's your job. Their repair guides are to help those that haven't likely done this and don't want to pay a lot of extra money to go to shops where people like you work. You don't need to buy the right pentalobe screwdriver to replace a cracked display because you already have one, but do you think the average person has the rightt tools, knows what component(s) to buy, and if they are capable of doing the repair? Face it, you don't like it because it affects your job security.

And what's with those stupid suction cups they use to open iPhones? No one uses those in a professional setting. We use an iSesamo which is an amazing prying tool and it's cheap. Of course iFixit doesn't sell anything similar. Probably for the better because if they did sell it their version would probably suck anyway, like with everything else.

Of course they don't¡

• https://www.ifixit.com/Store/Tools/iSesamo-Opening-Tool/IF145-130

PS: Since ZERO is a null value meaning nothing about it is repairable, your "but the iPad has a reparability score just 2 points above" isn't valid. It's 2 on a scale of 1 being the hardest and 10 being the easiest.

 

[Michael Goff]

Surely, it has to do with repairability.
When an iGizmo can be repaired instead of a new one being manufactured
it keeps the Antarctic from melting and makes Al Gore happy.

Nope, being green according to definitions only has to do with recycling. It should be repairing, but that's just my opinion.

 

[hamiltonrwatch]

You know what this thing reminds me of? That crappy Apple case I had on my first-gen iPad. Too thin, too tight and difficult to get in/out of, rough/sharp edges, tipped over easily and no magnetic screen latch with sleep/wake. Basically it was a first gen product and you didn't quite realize how crappy it was until Apple came out with the subsequent versions. I have a feeling the same will be true for this keyboard.

I bought an IPP, in large part due to my having 'OES' (Old Eyes Syndrome) Very happy with the virtual keyboard; at least it's back lit to a degree that I can make out the letters, numbers, and symbols. This past week, I visited an Apple Store to try out the Smart Keyboard. I can understand why some folks like it. For me, it just seemed like an afterthought on Apple's part.

The pencil, OTOH, was really cool

 

[mfvisuals]

Anyways, I just bought a kit from iFixit last week. Sometime in the next day or two I'll be upgrading my MacMini from 1 GB of RAM to 2 GB - hoping that should help speed it up a bit with browsing the web and streaming videos to my TV.

I'm guessing you're not running the latest version of OS X, otherwise 2GB would still be insufficient, especially considering that most new Macs come stock with 4 to 8GB of RAM nowadays.

 

[WarHeadz]

Face it, you don't like it because it affects your job security.

My job security? Please. Do you know how many people come in to our shop after trying their own repair with iFixit guides and botching it? Besides, the vast majority of people don't even so much as attempt their own repairs (wisely). iFixit is no threat to me, they've been around much longer than our company has. iFixit is not competition to us, as a matter of fact we might even buy parts and tools from them if they weren't garbage. Instead, we go to other suppliers.

you don't need to buy the right pentalobe screwdriver to replace a cracked display because you already have one, but do you think the average person has the rightt tools, knows what component(s) to buy, and if they are capable of doing the repair?

Yes, and for those people they should sell quality tools and parts...not crap. iFixit branded tools are crap. We have plenty of them laying around the store from when we made the mistake of thinking they would sell high quality tools.

Of course they don't¡

• https://www.ifixit.com/Store/Tools/iSesamo-Opening-Tool/IF145-130

You got me, they sell an iSesamo with their logo on it. Too bad they don't use it in their repair guides. And don't even get me started on their microwave heating pad to loosen adhesive. Better off using a hairdryer. But that wouldn't make them any money.

 

[garirry]

Looks like you need to go to the Apple store for a new keyboard. Your caps lock key seems to be stuck. If only you could repair that. It's too bad you can't pick up that Adele CD while in the Apple store. Seems you could use some calming music... or a new keyboard.

LOL, funny reply. Nah, I'm just angry sometimes.

 

[jazz1]

Well the darn thing is expensive, but I've paid similar for a Logitech that failed me for an iPad Air 2. It had a similar fabric keyboard. Frankly, I'll rely on the warranty. I guess I didn't expect it to be repairable, just replaceable. Would Apple Care on the iPP cover the Apple keyboard beyond then standard warranty on the keyboard? I know the some Apple peripherals were covered under my iMac's AppleCare.

 

[KALLT]

That's your job. Their repair guides are to help those that haven't likely done this and don't want to pay a lot of extra money to go to shops where people like you work. You don't need to buy the right pentalobe screwdriver to replace a cracked display because you already have one, but do you think the average person has the rightt tools, knows what component(s) to buy, and if they are capable of doing the repair? Face it, you don't like it because it affects your job security.

In my experience, iFixit's guides fall into two categories: easy to do it yourself or don't be an idiot and leave it to a professional. My 2008 MacBook is overall repairable and I did swap out battery, memory and hard drive and cleaned my fan once. But everything else that they have guides for is very risky to do. There are things that can easily break or bend, resulting sometimes in excessive damage, and the list of special tools you 'need' is respectable. I'm pretty confident myself, but I wouldn't dare most of the things they have guides for and even if I did: buying some of the tools yourself will be expensive, considering that you likely won't need them anymore afterwards.

I'm not saying that the guides are not useful, but I think there is some legitimacy in the question whether they are providing a useful service. They have a vested interested in publishing these guides and selling the tools and spare parts, regardless whether it is in the best interests of the average consumer.

 

[trifid]

The good iFixit does by far outweighs any complaints I've seen here. Just the fact that they do awesome clear hi-def tear downs of Apple products which we all love outweighs whatever repairability score they put at the end of the tear down.

I also love the fact they heavily criticize Apple whenever they glue or solder batteries onto products, this is a ridiculous practice in general and should be stopped. A battery is a consumable component, it should be able to be replaced without forcing you to replace the entire motherboard.

Last but not least, their repair guides have helped me replace and repair things, from easy to complex, from batteries to components, it's friggin awesome.

All the nay sayers, get a clue guys, iFixit is awesome, I'd rather have silly repair scores at the end of a tear down, than no tear down and no iFixit.

 

[Robstevo]

Nice teardown, but WHY THE **** IS THERE A REPAIRABILITY SCORE FOR AN ACCESSORY, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE REPAIRABLE EVER, DEAL WITH IT.

WHY THE HELL DO YOU CARE SO MUCH? DON'T LIKE IT? WHO CARES, SOME PEOPLE DO! SO GET OVER YOURSELF AND "DEAL WITH IT"

 

[philmore13]

In other news..... the sky is blue

 

[franky_so]

These 'tear-downs' and rating for repairabilty are so ten years ago. Honestly, who cares?

I care, well probably not the keyboard.

I was thinking to buy a new MacBook Pro, but after watching those later model MacBook Pro teardowns, and compared with the latest MacBook Air, I changed my mind and get the Air with the most powerful custom-spec instead. At least I know DIY repairing a MBA is slightly easier than MBP with common issues like cracked LCD and battery replacement.