Apple makes the AirPods 5 slightly less hostile to repair
Replaceable earbud batteries lift iFixit score from zero to a dizzying two out of ten
Apple's latest AirPods 5 make a small improvement in repairability, scoring two out of ten rather than zero, according to iFixit. This is the first time the earbuds have received a score above zero, compared to every previous generation receiving a score of zero. Repairing the AirPods 5 requires a skilled technician or determined DIYer, as the batteries use removable prongs instead of soldered leads, and the buds can be opened with common tools.
After removing adhesive strips, the pronged batteries can be popped out using a clamp, hair dryer on low, careful heating, and patient prying. However, replacement batteries are not yet available, and the left and right earbuds have subtly different batteries that cannot be exchanged. Inside the earbuds, iFixit found a capacitive touch layer and the H2 system-in-package, which handles features like active noise cancellation.
While the charging case remains effectively unrepairable, the AirPods 5 are now slightly less hostile to repair than their predecessors.
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Also reported by 1 other outlet
- Apple makes the AirPods 5 slightly less hostile to repair theregister.com
