The a new Plus model, the iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max. This year, Apple decided it was time to kill off the mini model due to declining sales.
The new iPhone 14 series brings some big changes such as the lack of a physical SIM card, and the Dynamic Island and Always-On display on the Pro models. The phones also have new safety features such as Crash Detection and for Emergency SOS via satellite. The latter will be available starting in November in Canada and the U.S.
The folks at iFixit completed a teardown of the iPhone 14, and discovered that Apple has completely redesigned the internals of its new smartphone. The biggest benefit of this change is that the iPhone 14 is now easier to repair. As a matter of fact, it is reportedly the easiest iPhone to repair “in half a decade.” Previous iPhones, starting with the iPhone X up until the iPhone 13, could only be accessed from the front to carry out an internal repair. In comparison, the iPhone 14 can be easily accessed from both sides. This makes it easy to replace the display as well as the back glass.
The iPhone 14 Is As Durable As The iPhone 13
Replacing the back glass of older iPhones is a Herculean task. The glass is held down by a very strong adhesive that cannot be weakened by heat or even chemicals. Instead, repair shops have to resort to completely shattering the glass and then gently scraping it off. Some also use a laser to destroy the adhesive before breaking the glass. There are a number of YouTube repair videos that show how this works. It also costs a fortune to do so. For instance, it cost $599 to replace the back glass of the iPhone 13 Pro Max for those without AppleCare+, while those with AppleCare+ will pay only $29. In contrast, the iPhone 14's back glass costs only $169 to repair.
With the new iPhone 14, iFixit reports that the two screws which hold the display down also hold down the rear glass. And while there is still an adhesive, it is easier to melt off before prying the back off with a pick. Despite this redesign, the iPhone 14 is still as durable as expected. There is a new mid-frame that absorbs most of the shock from a fall. In addition, components such as the Face ID sensor, speaker, and ambient light sensor are no longer integrated with the display. This means the display should be easier to replace. This particular change was first introduced with the iPhone 13 Pro.
In spite of these design changes, there are some irksome practices Apple hasn't changed yet. The source says that Apple is still pairing parts to the phone, so s will need to activate the back glass after replacement. Apple's intention with this is to curtail the use of aftermarket parts, but it is excessive for a part as basic as the back glass. Nevertheless, the aforementioned improvements are a welcome addition and have earned the iPhone 14 a repairability score of 7 out of 10. An interesting point to note is that this internal design change is limited to the iPhone 14 and doesn't extend to the iPhone 14 Pro models.
Source: iFixit, iFixit/YouTube