Apple could make iPhone's battery easier to remove, says report

Apple has loosened its grip on the reparability of the iPhone in recent years. The company already offers self-repair options for several models, including the iPhone 15 series. However, an enthusiast willing to take the matter into their own hands still needs technical knowledge and specialized rental tool kits from Apple.

One area where Apple is trying to make some improvements is the battery department. It's reported that Apple is working to make the battery removal process a bit easier, although it would still require the user to disassemble the device first.

In the current setup, tweezers are used to pull out adhesive strips before removing the battery. A machine and a tray are used to install the new battery. Apple is exploring a process called electrically-induced adhesive debonding, where the battery is encased in metal instead of foil. This allows the battery to debond from the chassis quickly by applying voltage.

The Information (via Apple Insider) learned from five people involved in the manufacturing process that the proposed change may arrive this year, with at least one iPhone 16 model. It might trickle down to the iPhone 17 series if everything goes right.

While it may not match the ease of decade-old phones that you could simply pop open, it's a step towards a comparatively easy-to-repair iPhone battery. Last year, the European Union put out new rules that require all smartphones to have user-replaceable batteries by 2027.

iPhones are among the most airtight smartphones out there and go through extensive testing to ensure there is no water ingress, a common problem during the iPhone's early days. Apple said it improved the devices over the years to minimize those failures, which came at the cost of repairability.

According to the company, "you can actually do the math" and figure out a threshold between durability and repairability. However, Apple seems to be making things easier, not just for the iPhone but for other products as well. During the teardown of the M4 iPad Pro, iFixit found it's possible to remove the device's battery without removing every major component.