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Hardware

Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 6S

By Bill Detwiler October 1, 2015, 1:58 PM PDT on Twitter billdetwiler

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Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 6S

Apple iPhone 6S teardown

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic

Apple iPhone 6S teardown

The iPhone 6S may look identical to last year’s iPhone 6, but it’s not the same phone. As with previous S models, Apple put most of the changes on the inside.

In this Cracking Open teardown, I take you through the process of disassembling the phone. To read my full analysis, check out the article, iPhone 6S teardown reveals upgrades galore, similar hardware layout.

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic
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Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 6S

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Box contents

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Box contents

No surprises in the iPhone 6S box.

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic
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Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 6S

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S:

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S:

Like the previous model, the 6S measures 5.44 inches tall and 2.64 inches wide. It’s 0.2 millimeter thicker and about a half an ounce heavier, but I doubt most people will notice these differences.

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic
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Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 6S

iPhone 6S compared to iPhone 6

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic

iPhone 6S compared to iPhone 6

The iPhone 6 (right) and iPhone 6S (left) both have a 4.7-inch Retina HD display, but the newer phone features Apple’s 3D Touch technology, which can detect how much pressure you apply to the screen. Perhaps, this is why Apple covered the 6S’ display with a new kind of chemically strengthened glass.

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic
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Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 6S

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: On/off button and SIM card slot

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: On/off button and SIM card slot

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic
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Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 6S

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Ring/silent switch and volume buttons

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Ring/silent switch and volume buttons

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic
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Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 6S

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Upgraded FaceTime camera

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Upgraded FaceTime camera

Apple upgraded the FaceTime camera from 1.2 megapixels to 5 megapixels.

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic
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Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 6S

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Gold finish

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Gold finish

Apple offers the iPhone 6S in Silver, Gold, Space Gray, and a new Rose Gold finish.

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic
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Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 6S

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Upgraded iSight camera

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Upgraded iSight camera

The new 12-megapixel iSight camera can shoot 4K video at 30 frames per second.

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic
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Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 6S

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Lightning connector, headphone jack, mic, and speaker

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Lightning connector, headphone jack, mic, and speaker

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic
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Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 6S

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Removing the SIM card and holder

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Removing the SIM card and holder

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic
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Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 6S

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Removing the pentalobe screws

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Removing the pentalobe screws

Apple continues to use pentalobe screws to hold the front panel to the body.

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic
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Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 6S

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Popping off the front panel

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Popping off the front panel

Apple used additional/stronger adhesive one the iPhone 6S compared to the iPhone 6. Opening the cases was more difficult and took slightly more time, even with this specialized tool.

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic
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Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 6S

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Lifting up on the front panel

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Lifting up on the front panel

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic
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Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 6S

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Removing the battery connector cover

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Removing the battery connector cover

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic
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Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 6S

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Disconnecting the battery

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Disconnecting the battery

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic
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Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 6S

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Removing the cover for the front panel connectors

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Removing the cover for the front panel connectors

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic
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Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 6S

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Detaching the front panel connectors

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Detaching the front panel connectors

Apple reduces the number of front panel connectors from four (on the iPhone 6) to three.

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic
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Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 6S

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Removing the display and front panel assembly

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Removing the display and front panel assembly

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic
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Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 6S

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Display and front panel assembly

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Display and front panel assembly

Behind the metal plate, which covers the back of the display, sits the hardware that enables the iPhone 6S’ 3D Touch technology.

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic
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Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 6S

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: FaceTime camera, earpiece speaker, and front-facing sensors

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: FaceTime camera, earpiece speaker, and front-facing sensors

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic
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Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 6S

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Home button

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Home button

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic
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Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 6S

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Removing the iSight camera cover

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Removing the iSight camera cover

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic
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Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 6S

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Removing the iSight camera

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Removing the iSight camera

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic
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Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 6S

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: 12-megapixel iSight camera

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: 12-megapixel iSight camera

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic
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Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 6S

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: iSight camera markings

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: iSight camera markings

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic
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Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 6S

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Removing an antenna assembly

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Removing an antenna assembly

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic
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Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 6S

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Antenna assembly

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Antenna assembly

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic
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Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 6S

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: New hex standoff

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: New hex standoff

The new hex-head standoff is easier to remove than the previous slotted version used in previous iPhones.

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic
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Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 6S

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Removing the system board

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Removing the system board

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic
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Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 6S

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: System board front

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: System board front

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic
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Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 6S

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: System board back

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: System board back

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic
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Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 6S

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: WiFi module

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: WiFi module

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic
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Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 6S

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: System board shields are soldered in place

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: System board shields are soldered in place

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic
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Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 6S

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Apple Taptic engine

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Apple Taptic engine

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic
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Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 6S

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Speaker assembly

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Speaker assembly

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic
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Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 6S

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Aluminum body with battery and attached components

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Aluminum body with battery and attached components

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic
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Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 6S

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Headphone jack and mic assembly

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Headphone jack and mic assembly

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic
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Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 6S

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Lightning connector

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Lightning connector

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic
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Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 6S

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Rear-facing sensor and flash assembly

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Rear-facing sensor and flash assembly

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic
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Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 6S

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: On/off button contact

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: On/off button contact

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic
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Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 6S

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Ring/vibration switch and volume button contacts

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Ring/vibration switch and volume button contacts

Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic
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Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 6S

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Teardown completed

Cracking Open Apple iPhone 6S: Teardown completed

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By Bill Detwiler
Bill Detwiler is the Editor for Technical Content and Ecosystem at Celonis. He is the former Editor in Chief of TechRepublic and previous host of TechRepublic's Dynamic Developer podcast and Cracking Open, CNET and TechRepublic's popular online show.
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