Chipworks, iFixit Teardowns Reveal iPhone 7’s Inner Workings

iFixit and Chipworks disassembled the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus to gain insights into how Apple designed its latest smartphone. Here’s what they found.

Since the companies only disassembled a few iPhones, it’s impossible to know how many of Apple’s smartphones are running Intel processors. However, Chipworks noted that the iPhone 7 it tested had two Intel RF transceivers as well as a modem and power management chip from the processor maker.

Samsung might be Apple’s chief smartphone competitor, but it’s also a company Apple relies upon for components. Both Chipworks and iFixit found that Samsung supplied at least memory chips in the iPhone 7. It’s still unclear whether Samsung supplied other components, including the camera and perhaps even some A10 processors. The companies plan to continue their dissection to determine how many Samsung components are in the iPhone.

Teardown experts at iFixit revealed that both the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are identical in size to their iPhone 6s predecessors. That said, iFixit noted that the iPhone 7 models are slightly lighter than the iPhone 6s models, with the iPhone 7 Plus weighing 6.6 ounces while the iPhone 7 weighs 4.9 ounces. By comparison, the iPhone 6s Plus weighs 6.8 ounces, and the iPhone 6s weighs more than 5 ounces.

Overall, the displays offered in the iPhone 7 models feature a 1,920-by-1,080 resolution on the Plus version and 1,334-by-750 on the standard option. Several competitors, including some from Samsung, have higher resolutions. However, the teardown companies found that the iPhone 7’s display delivers more brightness than its predecessor, which should make its screens look nicer than the iPhone 6s displays.

The iPhone 7 has a 1,960mAh battery, topping the 1,810mAh unit in the iPhone 6s. The iPhone 7 Plus, however, comes with a 2,900mAh battery, which is slightly smaller than the 2,915mAh battery in the iPhone 6s Plus. Apple has said the new iPhones will offer better-than-ever battery lives. Apparently, Apple has found a way to make the iPhone 7 Plus run more efficiently to deliver better battery life with a smaller power source.

Many had hoped that Apple’s decision to remove the headphone jack in its iPhone 7 would result in dual speakers. The deconstructions reveal that Apple hasn’t actually installed a second speaker in place of the headphone jack. Instead, eliminating the headphone jack made room for the taptic engine that powers its Home button and, apparently, funnels some sound from that button, according to iFixit. To the disappointment of many, there is not another speaker behind the smartphone’s second grille.

Apple has delivered some nice upgrades to the earpiece speaker. Notably, it serves as both an earpiece and a loudspeaker. According to iFixit, the feature means the iPhone 7 technically can deliver stereo sound by pushing audio out of both the bottom of the device, where its single speaker sits, and the top of the device, where its earpiece resides.

Apple has included several waterproofing features in the iPhone 7. For one, there’s an adhesive between the screen and back plate that will attempt to prevent water intrusion. The teardown experts also found Apple used rubber gaskets capable of “holding back a 50-meter column of water.” Those gaskets are located in several places, including near the SIM tray and speaker grilles.

Apple was quick to note that its Home button has been redesigned, and the testers at iFixit and Chipworks have confirmed that. In fact, the companies say it might be better known as a Home “sensor,” since it can’t actually be pressed in. Instead, the Home button is a solid-state component that connects to a chip with a small cable. Most importantly, it’s replaceable, which means if it goes bad, users will only need to get a new Home button instead of a whole new device.

The iPhone hasn’t always been easy to fix, but the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are more do-it-yourself-friendly, with iFixit giving them a “repairability” score of 7 out of 10, with 10 being easiest to repair. Some earlier Apple products had relatively low repairability scores, making it nearly impossible to fix them without Apple’s help. The iPhone 7 earned its high score thanks to its battery’s ease of access and the Home button’s design. However, it was dinged for requiring four different screwdrivers to open.