iFixit Tears Down the iPhone 5 As It Goes On Sale in Australia

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The iPhone 5 is already on sale in Australia where, because of time zones, it's already tomorrow. iFixit has sent a technician to an Down Under Apple Store so the site can be one of the first worldwide to tear down the iPhone 5.

iFixit co-founder Luke Soules trekked halfway around the world to Melbourne, Australia to be one of the first to receive the iPhone 5. Then, he flew like the wind back to MacFixit Australia's office and started taking apart our unit. The process is now well underway.

iFixit will be updating their their tear down on the fly, and we will be updating our post as they update theirs.

The iPhone 5 continues to use the 5-point pentalobe screw that Apple began using in the iPhone 4, requiring a special screwdriver to take apart the device.

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Ars Technica's Chris Foresman points out that the battery in the iPhone 5 has practically the same capacity as the battery from the iPhone 4S, going from 5.3Whr @ 3.7V to 5.45Whr @ 3.8V, or 1432 mAh to 1434 mAh.

iFixit notes that "Apple is very concerned with making sure that all the connectors are firmly seated and won't rattle lose over time." The teardown has reached the logic board, exposing Apple's proprietary A6 processor.

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The Lightning connector assembly, which includes the headphone jack and loudspeaker, comes out next.

It seems inevitable that Apple was going to switch its charging source eventually. There's no way they could have crammed a 30-pin dock connector into this assembly.

iFixit also wonders about the iPhone 5's vibration motor. They say that the 4S used a linear-oscillating vibrator and for the 5, Apple has returned to a rotational motor with a counterweight. The linear-oscillating vibrator is "quieter and less annoying" and iFixit is "scratching our heads as to why" Apple reverted to the less elegant design.

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Top Rated Comments

Macshroomer Avatar
171 months ago
Did they find a Google Maps app hidden in there somewhere?
Score: 39 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Caliber26 Avatar
171 months ago
Anyone replying to this post, cares.

So don't even come on here asking "who cares?"...

...YOU (https://forums.macrumors.com/showpost.php?p=15774454&postcount=7) do.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Bathplug Avatar
171 months ago
Screens off already and so are my pants.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Chuck-Norris Avatar
171 months ago
ARGGGGG UPS still has my iphone 5 hostage! :mad:
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
burgundyyears Avatar
171 months ago
iFixIt discovered that the Iphone changed it's VIBRATIONS OSCILLATOR ! How am I ever going to live......

....Hey FEDex guy....screw this....I'll refuse delivery tomorrow ! I want the "new" old oscillator back.

It's Vibratorgate! The sexiest Apple scandal yet!
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
FuNGi Avatar
171 months ago
MR: you should think about rewriting the first paragraph of this story.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)