Xiaomi what's inside: Wow, teardown nerds find debut smartwatch isn't actually a solder-and-resin nightmare The spudger-wielding folks at iFixit have completed a teardown of the new Xiaomi Mi Watch – the Chinese vendor's first stab at a "real" smartwatch – and, shockingly, it's relatively repairable. Breaking open the chassis (which looks remarkably similar to the latest Apple Watch), iFixit encountered modular components, most of …
iFixit sell a lot of such parts. They're quite expensive usually but they can also be found on ebay as well for cheaper. Usually aftermarket / fakes or taken from used models with irreparable damage to other parts.
There's definitely a market for this - this is also where all the 'unofficial' phone repair shops get their parts from.
Yes given the relatively low price point, then possibly buying the pry tools, ordering new bits and paying for shipping isn't going to be worth it for one that has gone out of warranty (unless you happen to be an IT repair wonk, otherwise you likely cant be arsed). It's likely cheaper/better to buy the new model. If you are a little repair shop how much can you charge (and make a profit) before your customer makes the same decision?
I'm a Biological scientist but I used to repair my wife's PSP's including one quite involved bit of electro-surgery. I've also effected a removable drive swap in a Rev B iMac and of course I've replaced the HD in this Mac Pro laptop with a solid state version and a new battery. In the process I discovered why the bottom of the case is distorted such that the RAM chip levers don't push home. One of the battery fix points was broken off with the screw still in it. Some Apple registered repair guy had wrenched it instead of finding the not very hard to see screw and removing it.
I informed the younges who handed the machine up to me so she knew the quality of the service she had been getting.
So don't diss us home amateurs in possession of a wide range of micro screwdrivers vs the supposed pros. Those in it for the money have a vested interest in taking short cuts to avoid spending too much on the job whilst us amateurs generally have more time to do a decent job.
BTW I have some of the steadiest hands in the micro dissection/small animal/embryo surgery business so transferring that to compu-surgery is actually pretty easy because I don't have to do it under a dissecting scope.
You need to choose products that sell in high enough numbers to create a market for replacement stuff like screens, batteries, etc. If a product doesn't sell well it doesn't matter if iFixit gives it a 10/10 repairability score, because you probably won't be able to find parts.
I carry a phone under protest, but it's needed for my job. I suppose electronics manufacturers need to sell more each year so they need to invent new things to carry around.
Worthless product for me in any iteration. But I am a dinosaur and remember when face time was actual conversation.
An odd story - seemingly positive spin on the (surprising?) news that repairing a smart watch is possible, but following up with the news that it's not as repairable as the market leader.
So really, the story is "new smart watch not as repairable as smart watch from company renowned for not being easily repairable" - I'd say that was a bad thing, no?
I volunteer in a charity shop and they use an industrial grade steamer to steam the creases out of clothes on hangers. I was doing yesterday. If you get the angle of the steamer head wrong wrt the hand holding the item of clothing a burst of steam escapes onto or near your hand. it can be an ouch, and OUCH! or a 'phew that was close'.
So I can imagine the steam escaping onto the watch on the hand wielding the wallpaper scraper. Maybe it happened a couple of times though in a small room the moisture level can rise quickly with a steamer in use.
"Surprisingly, the latest Apple Watch did slightly better, earning 6/10, with iFixit complimenting the device on the ease of screen and battery replacements"
Well, Apple figured out that it needs to do at least SOME basic service (like battery replacements) on it's products to keep it's market share. And their product needs to be capable of being serviced in order to offer that option.
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