Samsung chips evicted from iPhone 5, autopsy reveals Fans fed up of broken iPhone screens will be pleased to hear that the new model, the iPhone 5, makes it much easier to replace the glass panel placed on top of the smartphone's display. So say the gadget deconstructionists at iFixit.com after getting hold of the handset this morning Down Under. iFixit.com iPhone 5 takeapart …
"...Apple is shipping the 5 with a 3.8V, 5.45Wh Lithium-ion Polymer battery made by Sony. It's easy to remove and replace too."
Easy is a bit relative when referring to the iDevices. Its easy if you don't mind going at the device with a pentalobe screwdriver and void any warranty remaining.
Unless most other devices where you just pop the back off.
"If you've got remaining warranty why wouldn't you get Apple to replace the battery for free?"
Apple website quotes:
"...one-year limited warranty includes replacement coverage for a defective battery..."
"...Apple will replace the battery if it drops below 50% of its original capacity..."
and slightly out of order
"You can extend your coverage to two years from the date of your iPhone purchase with the AppleCare Protection Plan for iPhone"
"You can extend your coverage to two years from the date of your iPhone purchase with the AppleCare Protection Plan for iPhone"
Two year standard warranty in the EU.
Italy has already stamped on Apple for miss-selling 2 year Applecare cover on products that have a statutory two year warranty anyway.
"If you've got remaining warranty why wouldn't you get Apple to replace the battery for free?"
Some people don't like backing up all their data and sending their device off to replace a poxy battery. Especially when the device they get back from this process might not be the one they sent in the first place, hence the need for a backup.
If you want to swap your battery on the go don't get an iphone, if you don't care (like most people I expect, I haven't met anyone that carries two batteries on them or own two batteries for that matter, unless one of them is broken) then the lack of replaceable battery doesn't rule the iphone out.
I remember watching my brother update his iPhone once (backup, update, restore)... Two words came to mind... F*CKING SLOW!
That's why people skip backups.
Plus there is the other issue with backing it up and sending it off... What exactly are you supposed to use for a phone whilst the "genius" is dribbling over your phone whilst replacing the battery?
Final issue, for a Li-ion battery to be reduced to the required <50% capacity within 12 months is very very unlikely. Two or three years down the line is far more like it... Now what are you going to do (assuming you're not a good fanboy and didn't instantly upgrade your phone as soon as you were able).
You can get external packs that will recharge a phone. There's even been cases with extra battery capacity. The advantage is you don't even need to switch your phone on and off.
Removable backs are a great place to get dust into your phone and they tend to be creaky or flexible. You can make a stronger phone if you screw it together, plus not have to worry about end users screwing up the phone touching metal internals with screwdrivers etc.
"Removable backs are a great place to get dust into your phone and they tend to be creaky or flexible."
That's actually a problem I've encountered with my HTC phone, which I got rid of my iPhone for.
On paper, the replaceable battery really seems like an idea. In practice, unless you have a Class 5 cleanroom in your pants--which I assure you, I do not--the removable back lid tends to be a great place for dust and grit to accumulate. In fact, I've discovered that every month or two I actually have to pry the back off my Sensation and blow the grit out, or else the wake/sleep switch atop the phone quits working.
Pragmatically, plug-in battery extenders and a sealed phone actually seem like a better solution to me. Of course, other people might disagree, which is why we have a choice in phones. Buy the one that suits your needs best, but don't slag off everyone else who makes a different choice for being an idiot. :)
With my S2, I replaced the standard battery with a 3500 mah unit. It even came with a replacement back to accommodate the physically larger battery.
The phone is now a little bulkier and a little heavier. And I'll tell you straight - that suits me down to the ground.
Previously, the S2 was too thin and too light. It was difficult to feel its presence on my hip making me wonder if I'd left it somewhere. The extra bulge at the back means it fits my hand more comfortably.
Thinner, lighter phones ... you can keep them. I now have a phone that does all the tricks I need of it, feels comfortable to hold and carries on doing the complex work, for longer.
Or I could just buy something like this:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Yoobao-11200mA-Portable-Battery-Charger/dp/B005MBX6L2
...and that's the equivalent of roughly five spare batteries, but you only have to carry the one "lump", it charges loads of different devices including an iPad or non-Apple kit and you don't have to faff around individually charging lots of vendor specific battery packs. No reboots required either since you're not swapping hardware.
It works well. I've had one exactly as pictured above for a year (for less than the above price - search around, should be available for under £30). I recharged a 4S from less than 10% to 100% three times with it and there were still two LEDs illuminated on its 5 LED display so it probably really will get 4-5 charges of the phone as advertised.
There are loads of alternatives to the same idea with varying capacities, sizes and designs. Excellent for long haul flights and so-on. As for packing multiple replacement batteries for one single specific device? Don't be daft, it's not the 90s anymore :-)
I have a similar device that does about 3 charges for my mobile, but the advantage I found of a spare battery is no need to charge the device, switch out battery and use as is rather than plug it into something else...
Oh and it took them a LONG time for these portable battery chargers to appear, I remember asking a few years ago in a phone shop and getting a very blank look on their face...
Samsung chips evicted...
The unit iFixit acquired contained Flash storage from Hynix, and 1GB of LPDDR 2 memory, built into the A6 CPU package, from Elpida.
Surely Apple sources standard parts such as Flash and DRAM from multiple suppliers? One phone not having Samsung parts doesn't necessarily indicate no phones having any Samsung parts..
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