The brand new iPhone 16 and 16 Plus might look comparable on the skin, however there are some main modifications on the within. And the good by far is one you’ll in all probability by no means see.
In its customary teardown, iFixit has found a number of small modifications to the interior structure of elements, together with a brand new L-shaped logic board and the elimination of one of many mmWave 5G antennas. Most of those modifications are as a result of batteries, that are each bigger than the iPhone 15 fashions and have “a hard steel case instead of a soft pouch.”
However the coolest function is hidden below the battery. iFixit found that the batteries are secured by a wise adhesive “that can debond when you pass an electrical current through it.” Not solely does that imply it’s going to keep in place till an electrical cost is utilized to it, it additionally means “no more reliance on finicky, brittle adhesive strips, just a consistent, easily repeatable process.”
There aren’t even pull tabs. The way in which it really works is the adhesive stays caught till a 9V present runs by it. Like a automotive battery, you’ll want to connect an alligator clip to the silver tab on the battery and one other to the grounding screw by the USB-C port. Hook it as much as an influence supply and wait a couple of minute and the battery will magically launch from the case.
Then while you change it with a brand new battery, the substrate layer will rebond to the case. You’ll be able to watch it in motion within the video under.