iFixit has posted a teardown of the new Apple Powerbeats Pro wireless earphones.
It looks like “true wireless” earbuds are here to stay. After the success of Apple’s Airpods, other manufacturers are rushing to snag a spot in this market. So far this year we’ve torn down Samsung’s Galaxy Buds, which turned out to be some of the most repairable earbuds we’ve ever seen, and Apple’s updated Airpods, which were almost identical to—and just as un-repairable as—their first-gen predecessors. Today we’ve got the Powerbeats Pro on our teardown table—the first wireless earbuds made by Apple-owned Beats by Dre.
Repairability Score: 1 out of 10
● The battery is a fairly common button-cell, and is only lightly soldered in place, meaning battery swaps are technically possible with the right tools.
● The earbuds’ opening procedure is not totally destructive per se, but it will likely lead to at least some cosmetic damage.
● The earbuds’ internal circuitry is all connected with fragile ribbon cables that do not detach, so a full disassembly can only be accomplished destructively.
● The charging case is a nightmarish bucket of glue, making potential battery replacements unnecessarily difficult and destructive.
Take a look at the teardown video below!
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It looks like “true wireless” earbuds are here to stay. After the success of Apple’s Airpods, other manufacturers are rushing to snag a spot in this market. So far this year we’ve torn down Samsung’s Galaxy Buds, which turned out to be some of the most repairable earbuds we’ve ever seen, and Apple’s updated Airpods, which were almost identical to—and just as un-repairable as—their first-gen predecessors. Today we’ve got the Powerbeats Pro on our teardown table—the first wireless earbuds made by Apple-owned Beats by Dre.
Repairability Score: 1 out of 10
● The battery is a fairly common button-cell, and is only lightly soldered in place, meaning battery swaps are technically possible with the right tools.
● The earbuds’ opening procedure is not totally destructive per se, but it will likely lead to at least some cosmetic damage.
● The earbuds’ internal circuitry is all connected with fragile ribbon cables that do not detach, so a full disassembly can only be accomplished destructively.
● The charging case is a nightmarish bucket of glue, making potential battery replacements unnecessarily difficult and destructive.
Take a look at the teardown video below!
Read More