Apple could be working on new technology to make it easier to replace an iPhone’s battery, a new report suggests.
Apple continues to be under the microscope of the EU, and in an effort to make iPhone battery replacement a simpler process, may be working on a new “electrically induced adhesive debonding” process to help satiate lawmakers.
The report comes via The Information (paywall), which reports that “The new technology—known as electrically induced adhesive debonding—involves encasing the battery in metal, rather than foil as it is currently.”
“That would allow people to dislodge the battery from the chassis by administering a small jolt of electricity to the battery, the people said.”
“Consumers still have to pry open the iPhone themselves, which is not an easy process because of the adhesives and screws that keep the iPhone’s screen sealed in place.”
How Apple could change battery replacement
While it may not make it easier for you to replace your own battery (it’s still a tough job to get inside the handset), it may make it easier for a professional to do so.
The battery on a current iPhone is attached to adhesive strips, which would seemingly be retired with this new process.
“I’d love to see Apple innovate toward improved repairability,” Kyle Wiens, CEO of iFixit told The Information, saying “Glue is the bane of modern device repair, and any strategies that help reverse adhesives are welcome.”
According to the report, Apple could look to introduce the new battery-swapping tech in at least one model of iPhone 16, and then roll it out to all versions of the iPhone 17 in 2025.
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