Teardown of 38mm Apple Watch Sport Reveals 205 mAh Battery, Taptic Engine

iFixit is currently in the process of tearing down a 38mm Apple Watch Sport after the device launched in Australia today. While it is still early in the teardown process, the team has found that disconnecting the display from the body can be a little difficult, similar to the troublesome Touch ID cable on the iPhone 5s.

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Behind the display, two of the most significant features of the Apple Watch are easily viewable in the Taptic Engine and Digital Crown. Also inside is the tiny 3.8V 205 mAh battery, which iFixit notes is "lightly adhered" and easy to remove. Apple has said the 42mm Apple Watch will generally have slightly longer battery life than the 38mm model, so we expect the larger Apple Watch will have a higher-capacity battery filling up the extra space inside the casing.

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iFixit's teardown is still in progress and this post will be updated as additional discoveries are made. Of particular interest is the S1 chip that serves as the brains of the Apple Watch, but it may take some time to examine that part as Apple notes it is sealed in resin, aiding the water resistance of the Apple Watch.

Update 9:12 PM: The iFixit team notes that, on their way to the S1 chip, they've encountered the "tiniest tri-wing screws" they've ever seen, requiring them to modify their tools to proceed.

Update 9:41 PM: Due to the limited space inside the Apple Watch, iFixit has found that Apple has creatively wrapped the microphone ribbon cable between the inner and outer layers of the case.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)

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Top Rated Comments

charlituna Avatar
128 months ago
There are starving children waiting for their Apple Watch and these guys tear one apart. Shameful
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
LillieDesigns Avatar
128 months ago
Beyond the hype, the hate and everything else going on with this launch, I'm taking a second to marvel that in 2015 that is a hell of a computer on your wrist.
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ksuyen Avatar
128 months ago
Amazing feat of engineering! :eek: Kudos for Apple :cool:

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Ummm, my 1995 World Citizen watch radio shack battery is twice as small and it runs for 4 years at a time...
But... but... does it compute?


VS
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Keirasplace Avatar
128 months ago
Ummm, my 1995 World Citizen watch radio shack battery is twice as small and it runs for 4 years at a time...
Right... And it does nothing but tell time (not even as precisely as this btw). Your point?
You have the power of non sequitur in your typing I see.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Che Castro Avatar
128 months ago
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BigBeast Avatar
128 months ago
I'm more concerned about "starving children" over a watch, really? Oh world *SMH*


Sucks to lose you sense of humor, or so I hear.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)