Visible screws on the iPhone 3G - Unavoidable or Choice?

[arcsbite]

After seeing the video I though this was odd, apple insider confirmed my oddness.

Do you think this is a calculated choice? for repair or replaceable battery?
or just apple not being able to use their usual "No screw seen" practice for one reason or another?

 

[Tallest Skil]

The back panel is one piece. If you take the black bottom off of the original iPhone, there are screws holding the metal part of the back on. With the 3G iPhone having only one panel in the back, it has to be secured somehow.

 

[yode]

Well the screws are recessed so you it will be hard to see them unless you look DIRECTLY underneath them, and they are probably there for easier access to the internals. If anything, it will make replacing the battery/DYI mods easier to do. Also apple has visible screws on a lot of products.. like the macbook pro I am typing on right now...

 

[thevol]

Do you think this is a calculated choice? for repair or replaceable battery?
or just apple not being able to use their usual "No screw seen" practice for one reason or another?

i really hope they are there to allow easy rear case removal for battery changes. this could also be used by apple to lower repair costs by not replacing the back everytime there is a warranty claim.

 

[DeuceDeuce]

I hope we can buy aftermarket back cases this way I can use my phone naked and then just replace the case when it gets beat up.

 

[swordfish5736]

I hope we can buy aftermarket back cases this way I can use my phone naked and then just replace the case when it gets beat up.

they were available for the first gen iphone as well. Though i can tell you getting the first gen phone back together was not very fun