iFixit Teardown Provides Look Inside iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max

Earlier this week, repair site iFixit took apart the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus to demonstrate the new battery removal process that uses electricity for adhesive removal, and today, iFixit is back with a teardown of the iPhone 16 Pro and ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max.


Apple's ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ models do not have the same simplified battery removal process as the ‌iPhone 16‌, with Apple instead using traditional stretch release adhesive for its pricier iPhones. It's still easier to get inside, though, because you can do so through the back of the iPhone rather than the display, which can be easily damaged.

Apple encased the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ battery in metal like the ‌iPhone 16‌ models, but the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max does not have the metal casing around its battery, and it's not clear why. iFixit called the decision to use the metal-encased battery in just the 16 Pro and not the 16 Pro Max "perplexing."

The LiDAR Scanner is more accessible, which makes it easier to access for repairs. In prior Pro ‌iPhone‌ models, it was under the main camera assembly. The camera modules are almost identical, but not quite interchangeable due to a different cable length and a screw positioned in two separate locations inside each model.

Apple moved the mmWave antenna to make room for the Camera Control button, and in the 16 Pro models, it's in a hollowed out space near the top of the device. iFixit says that mmWave signal could still suffer due to the titanium frame of the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ models.

USB-C port removal is "massively" simplified, but iFixit points out that Apple does not sell replacement USB-C ports. The logic board can also be pulled out with only the removal of the upper speaker assembly, which is a major improvement to the design.

Notably, the teardown revealed that the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ models are using a Qualcomm SDX71M modem, which is a custom version of the SDX70M modem used in the iPhone 15 Pro models. Rumors had suggested the Pro models would include the Qualcomm X75 modem, which doesn't appear to be the case.

iFixit gave the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ models a repairability score of 7 out of 10 due to the design changes and the availability of repair manuals.

Related Roundup: iPhone 16 Pro

Popular Stories

AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Friday April 18, 2025 5:16 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
iphone 16 pro models 1

17 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17

Thursday April 17, 2025 4:12 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you skipped the iPhone...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Triad

Apple's 20th Anniversary iPhone May Finally Go All Screen

Tuesday April 15, 2025 6:31 am PDT by
Apple is preparing a "bold" new iPhone Pro model for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. As part of what's being described as a "major shake-up," Apple is said to be developing a design that makes more extensive use of glass – and this could point directly to the display itself. Here's the case for Apple releasing a truly all-screen iPhone with no...
maxresdefault

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Sunday April 13, 2025 7:52 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and ...
CarPlay Hero

Apple Releases Wireless CarPlay Fix

Wednesday April 16, 2025 11:28 am PDT by
If you have been experiencing issues with wireless CarPlay in your vehicle lately, it was likely due to a software bug that has now been fixed. Apple released iOS 18.4.1 today, and the update's release notes say it "addresses a rare issue that prevents wireless CarPlay connection in certain vehicles." If wireless CarPlay was acting up for you, updating your iPhone to iOS 18.4.1 should...
top stories 2025 04 19

Top Stories: iPhone 17 Pro Rumors, CarPlay Bug Fix, and More

Saturday April 19, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
This week saw rumor updates on the iPhone 17 Pro and next-generation Vision Pro, while a minor iOS 18.4.1 update delivered not just security fixes but also a fix for some CarPlay issues. We also looked ahead at what else is in Apple's pipeline for the rest of 2025 and even the 20th-anniversary iPhone coming in 2027, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more! iPhone 17 ...
iOS 18

iOS 18.5 Includes Only a Few Changes So Far

Monday April 21, 2025 11:00 am PDT by
Apple seeded the third beta of iOS 18.5 to developers today, and so far the software update includes only a few minor changes. The changes are in the Mail and Settings apps. In the Mail app, you can now easily turn off contact photos directly within the app, by tapping on the circle with three dots in the top-right corner. In the Settings app, AppleCare+ coverage information is more...

Top Rated Comments

julesme Avatar
8 months ago
We still don’t definitively know whether the X71 is a ”custom version” of last year’s X70 modem, or if it’s something else entirely.

Qualcomm doesn’t list specs for an X71 model, and if Apple used an X70 variant in the iPhone 16 Pro, that wouldn’t explain the impressive 26% 5G speed improvements vs last year’s models (as reported by MacRumors on September 12th, from SpeedSmart data). Doesn’t the speed improvement suggest that Apple is using some variant of the X75?
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JPack Avatar
8 months ago

From what ive found, the Us model gets the x75 for mmWave as it's the only version that has that feature and the rest get the x71 which gives the x75 performance just without the mmWave. I assume it to be right since the speed tests even internationally so far have seen a pretty decent speed boost, so I doubt its based off the x70
No, since we know all models globally use Modem Firmware 1.0 which suggests identical modem for all models. The iFixit tear down of Pro Max clearly shows X71.

The biggest feature of X75 is 5G Advanced, but that’s missing from all iPhone 16 spec sheets. So it means no X75 in any iPhone.

Speed performance increase can be due to a number of factors including better antennas.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Smittywerben Avatar
8 months ago
While surfing the web for information about the modem, I found a teardown from someone on Twitter (@TECHINFOSOCIALS) who claimed that Apple is using IMX 903 for the main camera, can someone confirm if it's legit?

Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
1BadManVan Avatar
8 months ago

We still don’t definitively know whether the X71 is a ”custom version” of last year’s X70 modem, or if it’s something else entirely.

Qualcomm doesn’t list specs for an X71 model, and if Apple used an X70 variant in the iPhone 16 Pro, that wouldn’t explain the impressive 26% 5G speed improvements vs last year’s models (as reported by MacRumors on September 12th, from SpeedSmart data). Doesn’t the speed improvement suggest that Apple is using some variant of the X75?
From what ive found, the Us model gets the x75 for mmWave as it's the only version that has that feature and the rest get the x71 which gives the x75 performance just without the mmWave. I assume it to be right since the speed tests even internationally so far have seen a pretty decent speed boost, so I doubt its based off the x70
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
lkrupp Avatar
8 months ago
After what happened in Lebanon last week I think right to repair needs two be revisited and modified slightly. I certainly would not allow third party parts of unknown origin and unknown supply chain provenance to be used to repair my iPhone.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kylo83 Avatar
8 months ago
Why doesn’t the pro max get the better battery thermal cover?
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)