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What’s the first thing you’re going to do with your iPhone 5? Watch a movie on the new 16:9 screen? See if your house has disappeared? Or take a hammer and a chisel to it and break it into bits? Stop! Because someone has done it for you.
The expert gadget-bashers-apart at iFixit have taken their tools to the new Apple phone, revealing the much-discussed components inside. New bits include 4G technology, a nano-SIM tray, and a new eight-pin dock connector, replacing the old 30-pin version.
Inside, there’s the Apple A6 system-on-a-chip. It’s based on the ARMv7 instruction set, with the label denoting 1GB of Elpida LP DDR2 SDRAM. That means the chip is not made by Samsung, Apple’s fierce legal rival, as previous chips were.
Sony makes the battery, Texas Instruments makes the touchscreen gubbins, and Qualcomm makes the 4G doohickey. As well as 4G LTE for faster data speeds, Wi-Fi supports both 2.4GHz and 5GHz for the first time.
The teardown reveals the iPhone 5 is the most conducive to repairing yourself, including a screen that can be easily removed and replaced with a suction cup. It’s certainly easier to repair than the previous iPhone 4and 4S models.
While the screen is easier to remove, the glass front bit, the touch-sensitive bit and the LCD are all one component, making it more expensive to replace if you crack it.
The 4-inch screen, black aluminium case and sapphire camera lens held up well to scratches and scuffs, but the glossy curved edges are prone to scuffing when attacked with a coin.
Would you have a crack at repairing your iPhone 5 yourself? And do you think it’s significant that Samsung hasn’t made the chip? Tell me your thoughts in the comments or on our Facebook page.
