Apple says new iPhone 16 design makes battery replacements easier

The iPhone 16 features a new internal design that comes with a big benefit to repairability. Apple says the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus have been “reengineered” to make battery service easier and offer improved performance and thermals.

In the iPhone 16’s press release, Apple says:

The internal design of iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus has been reengineered to allow for an even larger battery and to better dissipate heat, while making battery service easier.

This echoes details Apple shared during its special event on Monday, touting the new thermal design of the iPhone 16 and how the improvements lead to higher sustained performance:

We pair the powerful performance and efficiency of A18 with new system optimizations, including our thermal design. We updated the main logic board, centralizing the chip placement and optimizing the surrounding architecture. We also added a thermal substructure to dissipate heat made from 100% recycled aluminum. As a result, iPhone 16 delivers up to 30% higher sustained performance for gaming.

The Information previously reported on Apple’s plans to make iPhone batteries easier to replace with a new electrically induced adhesive debonding technology. At this point, it’s unclear whether Apple has actually used that technology with the iPhone 16. We should learn more later this month when the first iFixit teardowns of the new devices emerge.

This change comes as the European Union is set to enforce new legislation in 2025 that would require Apple to make the iPhone’s battery easier to replace. There are a number of carveouts could ultimately determine whether Apple is affected by the rules, but it has nonetheless made this change with the iPhone 16.

Notably, Apple’s press release for the iPhone 16 Pro does not mention any change to battery repairability.

(h/t MacRumors)