iPhone 17 Pro teardown reveals repair-friendly design, larger camera sensors
What's the story
The first teardown of the iPhone 17 Pro has been released by YouTube channel REWA Technology. The video shows how the device is opened with an opening tool with suction, a bit of alcohol, and an opening pick, revealing some interesting insights into its internal structure. It also highlights a large graphene pad inside that aids in heat dissipation.
Design changes
New layout for front camera module
The teardown reveals that the iPhone 17 Pro has a total of 14 screws and less adhesive than its predecessor. This could make the device more repair-friendly. The video also shows that Apple has used larger sensors in both the rear and front camera modules of this new model. Notably, for the front camera module, Apple has swapped the positions of the dot projector and flood illuminator compared to the iPhone 16 Pro.
Tech specs
Densely packed motherboard
The teardown also reveals that the motherboard of the iPhone 17 Pro is more densely packed and sits horizontally inside the device. This could provide better drop protection. However, it also notes that the position of the NAND memory chip on one side of the motherboard partially overlaps with the A19 chip on the other side. This could make heating NAND for storage upgrades trickier, possibly damaging the iPhone's main chip.
Repair concerns
Potential challenges for DIY repairers
Despite being less complicated to repair than its predecessors, the iPhone 17 Pro does come with some challenges. The video notes that new connectors in some components could make certain parts of the disassembly process riskier and more prone to damage. This is something potential DIY repairers should keep in mind when handling this latest model from Apple.