AirPods 2 Teardown: H1 Chip With Bluetooth 5.0, Same Batteries, and Water-Repellent Coating on Charging Case Board - MacRumors
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AirPods 2 Teardown: H1 Chip With Bluetooth 5.0, Same Batteries, and Water-Repellent Coating on Charging Case Board

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iFixit today shared a teardown of the second-generation AirPods, providing a closer look at the H1 chip with Bluetooth 5.0 and the same 93 milliwatt hour battery in each of the AirPods in line with the original pair.

airpods 2 teardown

New charging case on left and new AirPods with H1 chip labeled in red on right via iFixit

The repair website also pried open the new wireless charging case, which continues to have a 398 mAh battery capacity, and said there is a new "water-repellent coating" on the circuit board. The teardown notes that the updated charging case "seems designed for increased durability, but not repairability."


Unsurprisingly, the new AirPods earned a zero for repairability, as iFixit says they remain "disappointingly disposable." AirPods are not designed to be serviced, as no hardware components can be accessed without damaging the earphones, and sealed-in batteries make the AirPods a consumable product.

airpods 2 teardown full
Many of these details were already known, but the teardown still provides an interesting look at the internal differences compared to the first-generation AirPods. More photos and tech specs are available over on iFixit's website.

Related Roundup: AirPods 4
Tags: iFixit, Teardown
Buyer's Guide: AirPods (Caution)
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Top Rated Comments

djcerla Avatar
djcerla
96 months ago
The new AirPods earned a zero for repairability, as iFixit says they remain "disappointingly disposable."
Of course they are. This is a marvel of miniaturization and integration out of sci fi books, not a tower PC.
Score: 35 Votes (Like | Disagree)
B
bgraham
96 months ago
There is something ironic about these being a status symbol among 'millenials' who prize saving the oceans, cutting waste and cutting CO2 emissions when these are perhaps one of the worst accessories in existence to buy for the environment.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JustinRP37 Avatar
JustinRP37
96 months ago
There is something ironic about these being a status symbol among 'millenials' who prize saving the oceans, cutting waste and cutting CO2 emissions when these are perhaps one of the worst accessories in existence to buy for the environment.
Really? What about the iPad that is non-repairable either and much larger? Literally the majority of Apple's lineup is now non-user repairable. And I don't get the hatred towards millennials as I see just as many Boomers and Gen Xers with AirPods as I do millennials. I do not see what sociology has to do with headphone choice.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
B
benshive
96 months ago
What would you expect to be able to repair in a product like this? Maybe replace the case battery but that's about it.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Yaboze Avatar
Yaboze
96 months ago
As an owner of the original set, this is an engineering triumph, IMHO. I could care less if it's user repairable, that would make it larger and clunky.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
B
brendu
96 months ago
I thought Apple related in the announcement that these new AirPods have an extra hour of battery life? How so with the same sized battery? 5 hours of listening and 3 hours of talk time. Can't wait to see the tests.
More power efficient bluetooth 5.0 is how.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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