"Step 1
When we hold our breath and wait for mini and Max to appear, we will show you what they have as a middleman:
A14 bionic with fourth generation neural engine
6.1 in. (2532 in.) × 1170 pixels) super retina XDR OLED display with true tone and HDR
With ultra wide angle（ ƒ/ 2.4) and wide angle（ ƒ/ 1.6) camera's 12 megapixel camera system Pro also includes telephoto（ ƒ/ 2.0) camera and lidar scanner
On board storage is 64 GB (iPhone 12) and 128 GB (12 Pro)
5g (below 6 GHz and mmwave) connectivity plus 4x4 MIMO LTE, 802.11ax Wi Fi 6 and BT 5.0
MagSafe 15W wireless charging
The improved IP68 grade now meets the maximum depth of 6 meters and up to 30 minutes under IEC 60529
Step 2
Remember when the iPhone 4 introduced a square edge like Braun - the prototype phone developers left in the bar leaked?
The square phone is back, baby! There are fewer scandals this time. These flat edges shake the familiar design, but may also allow more screen space without making the phone larger.
In order to get to the next designed memory channel, we stack iPhone 11 pro, iPhone 12, 12 pro and iPhone 4!
Can you find the difference? The American version has a micro millimeter wave window. Designers may hate this, but they may not have as many marks as those EU regulations.
Step 3
The past is enough. Let's open these things!
Usually, the first obstacle is a few annoying hex screws.
Several attractive handles and triangular levers should allow us to play relatively easily.
But the dismantling engineers here face various difficulties in opening up. Perhaps the adhesive was reconstituted to provide an additional two meters of immersion protection?
Step 4
Now turn on the display from the right edge
Since the 7th generation, the iPhone has opened from the opposite side. Previously, the 5 and 6 series models were opened from the bottom up. Previously, the iPhone was opened after almost complete disassembly.
It's strange to try to remove the connector cover while the screen is still fixed, but you can manipulate the screen to make more space for the screwdriver.
On the bright side, we got this cool mirror photo.
Step 5
With both screens closed, we play the "discover differences" game. 12 on the left, 12 on the right.
Apart from the camera shield, there is actually no major difference from an aerial view.
We have to say that 12 Pro doesn't look like Pro yet. But let's go further.
On the bright side, we now have some great wallpapers. Pay attention to the ifixit home page, where we will take some original wallpapers for iPhone 12 and 12 pro.
Our early tests showed that when the standard 12 and 12 Pro are interchanged, both displays can work interchangeably, even if the maximum brightness specifications are slightly different, as pointed out by careful observers.
Step 6
Ah! coming! After removing the camera cover, you can see the biggest difference between the two mobile phones: Pro has one more thing.
Let's focus on 12... What's this? A piece of high-tech plastic?
It can be seen that the two mobile phones are so similar. The difference is that pro has an additional camera module and lidar sensor, while 12 has... A plastic gasket.
Both phones are equipped with 12 megapixel wide-angle and ultra wide-angle lenses with F / 1.6 and F / 2.4 apertures respectively, while pro adds an F / 2.0 telephoto lens.
Pro's camera also has other advantages, such as proraw, dual OIS, and the low light photography advantage brought by lidar.
Step 7
These modular SIM card slots are very suitable for maintenance. If there is a little strange, it is that all sides of the SIM card slot, motherboard and battery are opposite to the previous models.
Why switch roo? Smoking gun is the motherboard. Since the 11th generation, its size has grown greatly (probably to accommodate Qualcomm's 5g chip) and is no longer suitable for the old position under the camera.
Both models of speakers are fixed in place with Phillips screws for replacement, and they can be easily removed.
When we remove the speaker, we will find a different place: a bright orange rubber gasket is found behind the speaker mesh cover instead of adhesive, as we often see in Samsung mobile phones.
This makes the speaker removal and replacement process easier than the messy adhesives that need to be repaired in the past few years. Since the speaker must be removed before replacing the battery, this is also a thoughtful and wise design.
Step 8
We see many fixing screws near the bottom of the chassis. Fortunately, our Marlin precision screwdriver kit for iPhone has a crash screwdriver in this case.
It is exactly the same as the taptic engine in 12 and 12 pro. It can be used interchangeably in our test, is smaller than what we see in the ordinary iPhone 11, and has a thicker smidgen.
Step 9
Under the battery, apply a releasable adhesive at the desired location. 12 pro and 12 Pro each have four tabs that perform as expected.
However, one thing that may change: the small, fragile "start" part provided by apple.
We've heard that 12 and 12 Pro use exactly the same battery. That's right! We can see 10.78 wh for both batteries.
They can also be interchanged in our part replacement test.
Compared with 11 and 11 pro, this is a significant decrease of 11.91 wh and 11.67 wh, respectively. But the efficient new 5nm process A14 chip may make up for this difference: according to Apple's official specifications, the battery life is not affected at all.
Step 10
We interrupt this disassembly work and bring you excellent X-rays from creative electron friends.
MagSafe wireless charging array is one of the most obvious representatives. It's cool to see it with our eyes. Magnet paper is OK, but X-rays are much better.
No, we didn't add a black border to the iPhone 12 Pro X-ray on the right. Compared with the aluminum frame on the iPhone 12, this is the result of the stainless steel frame - the steel is denser and therefore more opaque in X-rays.
Step 11
After abandoning the battery, we turned our attention to the surgical brain.
We disconnected many cables from the motherboard. Fortunately, they were only fixed by three screws on the two units. Our Marlin screwdriver will drive into the last shot.
Step 12
A little heat (a lot of heat) and a little pry can get two boards at one price! We took one of the iPhone 12 boards apart to see all the sweet silicon, and if it seems difficult to guess which one, you are not alone - the motherboards of 12 and 12 Pro are almost the same, except for some serial numbers.
Apple apl1w01 A14 bionic SOC is located on micro d9xmr mt53d512m64d4ua-046 XT: F 4 GB lpddr4 SDRAM (6 GB ram on 12 Pro)
Kicm224ay4402twna12029, 64 GB kioxia NAND flash memory.
Qualcomm sdr865 5g and LTE transceivers
Qualcomm sdx55m 5g Modem RF system and smr526 IF IC
USI / Apple U1 UWB chip
Avago 8200 high / medium power amplifier with integrated duplexer
Apple apl109 4343s00437 PMIC
Step 13
NXP semiconductor cbtl1614a1 display port multiplexer
Texas Instruments sn61280 camera power management
STMicroelectronics stb601a04 power management
STMicroelectronics stwpa1-3033abm wireless charging IC
Texas Instruments sn2611a0 battery charging IC
Apple / cirrus logic 338s00537 mono audio amplifier
Apple / cirrus logic 338s00565? Audio Codec
Step 14
Bosch sensortec accelerometer
Qualcomm smr526 RF transceiver
Apple 338s00564 power management
Qualcomm pmx55 power management
Skyworks Sky5 RF module
Step 15
The US version comes with some beautiful 5g mmwave antenna modules - one embedded in the side of the frame and the other embedded in the back of the motherboard.
The antenna embedded in the frame is a USI product marked 339m00104 s30u7fh.
Step 16
We hardly need to use lightning interface components, face ID, flash module, etc. most of them look the same in various models, but the ribbon cable is slightly bent.
You think we haven't forgotten the magic MagSafe charging array, right? The coil is nothing new, but the 18 magnets must be new.
Step 17
Mmwave goodbye, high 5g everywhere! This disassembly is a summary.
It is shaping into a 5g world, and apple is in it. It seems that they must make some serious design compromises to make room for the shiny 5g new components. Appropriate example: the past motherboard and battery gain have disappeared. They will be missed.
The new battery is clumsy and no longer an elegant L-type.
The taptic engine is smaller, and the speakers are new shapes - they may not be reduced, but they will be different.
On the whole, it is strange to see the concessions of this emerging technology. Of all possible Apple innovations, this is the least creative.
But! At least the new 5g mining is no different from Apple's reliable screen and battery repair program.
Step 18
Look! We found that other things can be broken down.
Apple's new MagSafe charger is not in a small iPhone box (you must buy it separately), but we ordered one for some testing.
It is compatible with all iPhone models (and other devices) that support Qi style wireless charging. But we have different ideas.
This can be an interesting comparison with other inductive charging stands made by apple for Apple watch. You can view the detailed classification of these internal.
One obvious difference is that the magnets around the outside are black rings - yes, there are corresponding magnets in the charging stand and the new iPhone. Only one magnet is used in the center of the apple watch charger.
Step 19
The only joint found is the intersection of rubber and metal, which is an obvious entry point.
Optimistically, we sandblasted it with some heat to soften it and bond the adhesive together. Then we connect two very suitable suction cups to either side and start processing.
The white covering material on the charging surface began to stretch slightly, but the actual gap did not change（ Sometimes we are too optimistic.)
So it left under the knife! Some of the persuasive power of the razor made us cross the white cover and pry between the plastic and metal below.
Step 20
Internal... Charging coil! Who would have guessed.
On the bottom of the white cover is an etched copper label, and its trace corresponds to four leads separated outside the charging coil.
Step 21
Looking up at the coil, you can find the circuit board - alas, it is covered with a metal shield.
With the advent of the new iPhone, there is no time for micro welding today.
A chip labeled stwpspa1 is installed on the small circuit board. This may be a close relative of STMicroelectronics's 15W wireless charger IC stwbc-ep.
Step 22
Further disassembly may not produce much, but this is the purpose of X-rays. This is a close-up of the stress relief at the cable connection point and the usb-c interface.
Summary:
In the design of the new iPhone, the replacement of the display and battery is still the top priority.
Most other important components are modular and easy to access or replace.
Free use screws are preferable to adhesives, but in addition to the standard Phillips, you must keep the screws in order and bring out special screwdrivers (five petal, three-point and confrontation).
The increased waterproof measures will complicate some maintenance, but reduce the difficulty of water damage maintenance.
The possibility of falling damage caused by the front and rear glass plates is doubled - if the rear glass plate breaks, you will remove all components and replace the whole chassis.
Reproduced from ifixit“
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