iFixit teardown shows Apple iPhone XR is easy to repair
The iPhone XR gets a reparability score of 6 out of 10 from iFixit as the glass on front and back doubles the crackability - and broken back glass requires an entire chassis replacement.
An iFixit teardown has shown that this year’s budget iPhone, the iPhone XR, is easy to repair and has scored 6 out of 10. This is exactly the same score that folks at iFixit gave to the iPhone XS and the iPhone XS Max. Just like the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, the iPhone XR’s front panel can be taken off without needing to detach the Face ID module but cuts points for the glass sandwich design.
iFixit says that the iPhone XR looks like a “fun hybrid” between the iPhone 8 and the iPhone X from the inside. “A peek under the hood revealed design hallmarks reminiscent of both the iPhone 8 (rectangular battery, single layer board) and X (square-ish logic board, Face ID), making this the spiritual “iPhone 9”, the platform said. While talking about the battery, iFixit says that the iPhone XR battery “looks a bit smallish compared with that of the 8 Plus – but these looks are deceiving. The XR battery is thicker, and packs more juice, not less.”
It also says that the logic board has a veritable plethora of standoff screws which are tiny uncommon Pentalobe and tri-point screws to stymie repair and “these fasteners are preferred over tough glue.” iFixit notes that the display-first opening procedure and easy access to the battery remain design priorities. A broken display can be replaced with minimal hardware removal but the glass on front and back doubles the crackability – and broken back glass requires an entire chassis replacement. The waterproofing measures complicate the repairs.
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