AirPods Pro 3 Impossible to Repair, Earn Score of 0 in iFixit Teardown
iFixit today disassembled the AirPods Pro 3, giving us a look at what's inside and how the AirPods Pro 3 have changed in comparison to the AirPods Pro 2.
Apple designed the AirPods Pro 3 with a new foam-infused tip, and the design change is mainly visible under a microscope. You can see a small layer of foam at the top of the earbud where it meets the ear.
The AirPods have a 0.221 Wh battery cell inside, while the case has a single 1.334 Wh battery. The AirPods Pro 2 had two battery cells inside the case, and the change explains why we're down to 24 hours of battery life from the case instead of 30 hours like the AirPods Pro 2.
The case has fewer rare earth magnets inside, but they've been placed in different locations to ensure that MagSafe and Qi 2 charging still works as expected.
To get a look at other components inside the AirPods Pro 3, iFixit essentially had to destroy them because Apple didn't design them to be repaired.
Since the first version of the AirPods launched, they've included a battery that is sealed shut with glue, and that hasn't changed with the AirPods Pro 3. iFixit says battery replacements are so difficult that many repair shops won't even attempt to do it. The AirPods Pro Charging Case has the same glued-in battery.
There's no way to attempt a battery repair without causing blemishes on the plastic of the earbuds and the casing, because they have to be pried open. Heat needs to be used to melt the adhesive, and there's no easy way to disconnect the flex cable that's inside each earbud.
With the need for specialized equipment and the inability to repair the earbuds and the case without causing damage, the AirPods Pro 3 earned a 0 out of 10 repairability score from iFixit.
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