The AirPods Pro 3 were just announced last month, together with the iPhone 17 models. The iPhone 17 phones come with a redesign, and even though it raises some concerns on durability (at least when it comes to the Pro models that now come with an aluminum body), nothing beats the impossibility of repair. And unfortunately, that's what seems to be facing the AirPods Pro 3, according to a teardown of iFixit.
AirPods Pro 3 are impossible to repair
iFixit's teardown shows us what's inside the AirPods Pro 3, and also delivers the bad news that it seems impossible to get the AirPods Pro 3 repaired without causing some damage.
Now, the AirPods Pro 3 come with a new foam-infused tip, which is not directly visible to the naked eye, but you can see a small layer of foam at the top of the earbud.
There's a 0.221 Wh battery in the AirPods, while the case has a single 1.334 Wh battery. That's different from their predecessor, the AirPods Pro 2, which had two battery cells. This explains why the AirPods Pro 3 are said to last 24 hours instead of 30 like the Pro 2.
The case has fewer rare-earth magnets than the Pro 2's. Those are placed in different locations for MagSafe and Qi2 to work as they should.
Unfortunately, though, to look at the insights of the AirPods Pro 3, iFixit basically had to destroy them, because the Cupertino tech giant didn't design them to be repaired.
Repairing them would require special equipment... and still you can do some damage to the AirPods Pro 3. So, for that reason, the AirPods Pro 3 earned the amazing and glorious score of 0 out of 10 in repairability from iFixit.
Battery is sealed shut with glue
Well, the low repairability of the AirPods Pro 3 isn't at all surprising, especially since AirPods have always had a battery that is sealed shut with glue. That hasn't changed since the first AirPods ever.
Because of this, battery replacements are difficult, and many repair shops won't even attempt to do it. The AirPods Pro Charging Case also has the same glued-in battery (for some mysterious reason for me).
Would you still buy AirPods Pro 3 even though they’re basically impossible to repair?
Yes, I’ll replace them when the battery dies
62.5%
No way, repairability matters to me
37.5%
As you can probably tell, there's no way to attempt a battery repair without causing at least blemishes on the plastic of the earbuds or the case. Yep, they have to be pried open, that is. Heat is also needed to melt the adhesive, and on top of it all, there's no easy way to disconnect the flex cable that's inside each earbud.
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Hopefully you'll never need your AirPods Pro 3 battery replaced
I've had my AirPods for years now, and luckily, so far, I didn't need to have their battery replaced. Obviously, if this happens, and as most repair stores may not even attempt to do it, I'll be facing a (probably unwanted) upgrade instead of a repair.
I prefer repairability to be higher on any tech, though. There's plenty of tech around in the world, and I'm becoming more and more aware of all the tech "trash" we all have. I think Apple can do better. It has done some repairability improvements to the iPhone's design, but small accessories should also be included, in my opinion.
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Izzy, a tech enthusiast and a key part of the PhoneArena team, specializes in delivering the latest mobile tech news and finding the best tech deals. Her interests extend to cybersecurity, phone design innovations, and camera capabilities. Outside her professional life, Izzy, a literature master's degree holder, enjoys reading, painting, and learning languages. She's also a personal growth advocate, believing in the power of experience and gratitude. Whether it's walking her Chihuahua or singing her heart out, Izzy embraces life with passion and curiosity.
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