Apple has introduced some big plans, but nothing stands out as the new process for removing the battery from the base of the iPhone 16. Eliminating the usual pull tabs, Apple uses an adhesive that responds to low voltage. It only takes about a minute and a half to stop, according to Apple’s. The teardown shows the process in action, and it looks easier than ever. iFixit technician Shahram Mokhtari said, “I’m not sure we’ve ever had a battery removal process that went so cleanly and smoothly.”
Only the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus have the new adhesive, and they scored a 7/10 on iFixit’s repairability scale. “Apple seems to be growing in repairability,” Mokhtari said, adding that Apple “got some repairability success” with the basic iPhones this year thanks to a new battery removal process.