The iPhone 16 is shaping up to be one of the most user-friendly devices Apple has introduced in years.
This is largely due to a number of reparability measures that the company has taken, or is rumored to have taken, in recent months. This week, The Information reported that Apple is releasing a new generation of “electrically induced adhesive stripping” that would make it less difficult to remove batteries.
As it stands, cutting through iPhone batteries requires some ability to remove the adhesive strips that stick them to the chassis. This isn’t a simple thing for a normal eco-user to do, but Apple needs to replace them with a link. generation that would release the battery after “administering a small electric shock”.
News sources say that this new generation may have at least one iPhone 16 style this year and that it will roll out to the entire iPhone 17 lineup in 2025.
The move appears to be an attempt by the Cupertino-based company to comply with the ecodesign law passed by the European Union last year. Specifically, the law states that replacing a smartphone’s batteries will have to be “feasible without the equipment, equipment or equipment sets that come with the product or spare part, or fundamental equipment. “
Several announcements, or discrete changes, show that Apple’s new iPhones will be very different from the Apple phones of the last decade.
For example, the iPhone 15’s redesigned internal chassis makes it easier to remove the back panel without breaking the glass. Last year, the company introduced a self-service repair program that allows Americans to repair their devices at home, a program that has now been partially expanded to Europe.
Then there’s the company’s new portion-pairing policy, which means iPhone users will be able to update portions without Apple’s permission. The update applies to the iPhone 16 and is likely a reaction to Oregon’s Right to Repair Act. The new law prohibits the practice of disabling features if an unauthorized repair is performed on a smartphone.
Elsewhere, a recent patent for a long-lasting iPhone details a modular phone with an easily detachable back panel. The concept is that the rear façade can be replaced with panels with one or more additional curtain functions. So if a user needs to make bigger to determine the battery life, they can plug in the battery module or, if they need a display, they can connect a display for the time being.
Nothing in this patent application reminds me of Apple, it looks more like the LG G5, the ultra-customizable Inspector Gadget smartphone from 2016. But the patent application also resembles the vision of the European smartphone bill, which talks about reusable fasteners (the clips, screws and bolts that hold the factors together) and spare parts that have the effect of “upgrading or restoring the capacity of the device on which they are installed”.
All this has its caveats. Patents don’t come true. The independent repair program (separate from the self-service repair program) has been criticized for reducing the profits of the repair department stores that have signed up for it. The new portion pairing policy is said to only apply to iPhones. (read this story about iPads that wouldn’t possibly draw lines directly after a fix) and Apple has fought hard against some of the new regulations, arguing that the Oregon law would “undermine the safety” of iPhone users.
The good news is that Apple’s recent moves suggest that the next iPhone will be one of the most repairable in the company’s history. This means savings for buyers over the life of the device, as iPhones probably don’t require expensive maintenance that can only be done. through Apple. Combinations should also not be discarded in case of a problem.
Replaceable batteries are also one of the major battles lost by consumers over the past decade. In part because Android makers such as Samsung and LG have been fighting to grab some of Apple’s market share by mimicking the iPhone’s sleek design. We could get back to normal upgrade the batteries smoothly if needed, or pay Apple $99 to do so.
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