Why the iPhone 16 is a big deal for repairability

By Patrick Hearn September 19, 2024

The Camera Control on the iPhone 16. — Apple

Historically, Apple has not been the most repair-friendly company. In fact, the iPhone has been at the center of multiple controversies concerning the right-to-repair process and its difficulty. According to news from Engadget and Tom’s Guide, the iPhone 16 and iOS 18 are breaking from this pattern and taking several strides in the right direction.

To put things in perspective, iFixit — a company specializing in DIY repairs — gave the iPhone 15 a 4/10 for repairability. The company gave the same score to the iPhone 14, although it initially rated it a 7/10.

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The most significant change for the iPhone 16 is the addition of the Repair Assistant feature in iOS 18. This will let end users and repair techs configure new parts directly on the device; previously, this process required direct intervention by Apple to finish pairing. Notably, it also grandfathers in certain repairs to previous devices. Anyone with an iPhone 12 or newer can configure the TrueDepth camera without being tethered to a Mac.

It also adds a tool called Apple Diagnostics, which can help you pinpoint exactly what is causing a problem rather than forcing you to rely on a second device (that’s hopefully working correctly) to diagnose the issue.

Next are some long-overdue changes to the battery. We all know smartphone batteries give out after a couple of years and start to see significantly reduced charging capacities. Removing a battery used to mean fighting with adhesive strips and glue, but the iPhone 16’s battery can be easily removed by applying a small voltage current to it (as small as a 9V battery.)

Finally, Apple is making it much easier to use third-party components instead of official Apple parts. If you take a look at the cost of official parts alone, you might choke out of sticker shock. The True Tone feature will be coming to third-party displays, and the lidar sensor will work without configuration, although it might not perform on the same level. Changes are also coming that will enable third-party batteries to work with the battery health feature.

These are the biggest steps Apple has taken toward repairability yet. Between easier access, part removal, and pairing, maintaining your iPhone is much simpler. There’s still a lot of room to grow, but any progress is worth celebrating.

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