Photos reveal construction of iPhone 3G
updated 10:55 am EDT, Thu July 10, 2008
iPhone 3G teardown
The iPhone 3G has substantial differences within its hardware beyond 3G and GPS chips, one of the first teardowns shows. A model obtained early from New Zealand reveals, for example, that unlike the first iPhone, the glass and LCD in the display are separate, mimicking the construction of the iPod touch. The display assembly is also no longer used to anchor miscellaneous components, but rather just the main board.
Apple has merged the logic and communications boards together instead of stacking them, and perhaps critically for repair teams and home upgraders, the battery is no longer soldered, making it easier to remove. Chips so far remain mostly unidentified, but the phone does use Intel NOR flash and Skyworks power management.
[via iFixit]
Blue IC boards
07/10, 11:23am reply
Is there any significance to the colour of the circuit boards? I notice that Apple seems to use IC boards that are blue, rather than the usual green, brown, red, pink, or even yellow. Do the colours mean anything...?
Flesh-faced Recruit
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jun 2008
Re: blue IC boards
07/10, 11:26am reply
@Flesh,
Not at all. PCB is PCB.
karmatose
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Sep 2007
color of boards
07/10, 11:27am reply
No. The color has no significance. Apple used to use different colors to designate different levels of prototype boards, but the color now is simply so that the board looks good in teardowns like this.
ibook_steve
Moderator
Joined: Oct 2001
Re: Construction
07/10, 11:53am reply
So with the battery no longer soldered does that mean it is now user replaceable? Also any comment(s) on the 2 screws on the bottom? After taking them out, anything else you needed to do to get the case apart?
MN Bandit
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Sep 2003
missing the point
07/10, 12:39pm reply
I think the REAL news here is that the iPhone can be opened just be loosening 2 tiny screws, which will make things a h*** of a lot easier.
Jeronimo2000
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2001
Where is the battery?
07/10, 04:22pm reply
Buried under all the circuit boards? I doubt the average user would be comfortable enough to pull all that stuff out to change a battery.
Constable Odo
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2007