Apple Watch gets teardown treatment, unannounced data port remains in production units

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in Apple Watch edited April 2015
Just hours after Apple Watch first reached early-bird buyers in Australia, a device teardown hit the Web revealing a litany of miniature parts and an unannounced data port thought to be used for diagnostics work.


Source: iFixit


As with every major Apple product launch, the team at iFixit dutifully began to tear down a 38mm Apple Watch Sport less than five hours after some of the first consumer units were delivered to Australian customers.

The teardown is currently underway as of this writing, but so far the repair firm has managed to remove the display and pry out the 205mAh battery. Images show off the Digital Crown, Taptic Engine module and the enclosed case of Apple's S1 system-on-chip.

Also seen is an unannounced data port hidden under a cover located in one of the strap attachment grooves. The data port's purpose is unknown, though a report in March claimed the six-pin connector is capable of transferring data and possibly power to Watch.

Interestingly, an identical port can be found on the underside of Apple Store demo displays holding working Apple Watch units.

As for repairability, iFixit found what it calls the "tiniest Tri-wing screws we've ever seen" holding component brackets in place. Along with specialized screws, Apple relied on adhesive material to keep everything in place, a space and cost saving technique used in other products like iPhone and iPad.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 73

    Can't wait to hear complaints about how it's not fixable. :rolleyes:

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  • Reply 2 of 73
    MacPromacpro Posts: 19,864member
    Can't wait to hear complaints about how it's not fixable. :rolleyes:

    Not to mention the lack of a USB port and interchangeable batteries. :no:
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  • Reply 3 of 73
    slurpyslurpy Posts: 5,392member
    Only gonna consider buying this if I can update the RAM, SSD, CPU, and everything else. I also want every component to be easily accessible, with standard screws, as well as being able to easily flash the OS. This is very important to me, and to the vast majority of consumers.
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  • Reply 4 of 73
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Slurpy View Post



    Only gonna consider buying this if I can update the RAM, SSD, CPU, and everything else. I also want every component to be easily accessible, with standard screws, as well as being able to easily flash the OS. This is very important to me, and to the vast majority of consumers.



    Needs a MicroSD card slot too.

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  • Reply 5 of 73

    Repariability Score: 0 out of 10. You have to have the tools and a skills of a watchmaker in order to repair the watch.

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  • Reply 6 of 73

    I think Apple should start offering to send iFixit a unit to teardown.

     

    Make sure it's a special one.

     

    With every single bit of empty space filled with epoxy.

     

    And leave a note inside, that says "With Love, Jony Ive"

     

     

    Maybe they can change their name to sFixit?

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  • Reply 7 of 73
    musomuso Posts: 33member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by TheWhiteFalcon View Post

     



    Needs a MicroSD card slot too.




    Hmmm... and a Thunderbolt port or two, I'd say.  

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  • Reply 8 of 73
    foggyhillfoggyhill Posts: 4,767member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by TheWhiteFalcon View Post

     



    Needs a MicroSD card slot too.


     

    I want mine accessible with a chisel and a hammer, only tools used in antiquity should be necessary for this watch to be serviced.

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  • Reply 9 of 73

    Wow, It's all battery.

    Everything else is sealed.

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  • Reply 10 of 73

    Only one port, and it's a non-standard one at that. What was Apple thinking! Reminds me of my old 128K Mac... Steve Jobs would have loved this product!

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  • Reply 11 of 73

    Dang...they tore down a custom white gold legacy model!! Is there no respect for art??

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  • Reply 12 of 73
    Port for battery connectivity to external batteries in modular band?...
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  • Reply 13 of 73
    roakeroake Posts: 821member
    9secondko wrote: »
    Port for battery connectivity to external batteries in modular band?...

    Interesting guess. Considering the position of the port, may be some possibility for this.
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  • Reply 14 of 73
    I think Apple should start offering to send iFixit a unit to teardown.

    Make sure it's a special one.

    With every single bit of empty space filled with epoxy.

    And leave a note inside, that says "With Love, Jony Ive"


    Maybe they can change their name to sFixit?

    I'd fill it with a deadly neurotoxin. Repairability score: -10.
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  • Reply 15 of 73



    Chester Gould would have so proud ...

     

    Soon all of will be assuming the wrist cell phone position...

     

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  • Reply 16 of 73
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,150member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Slurpy View Post



    Only gonna consider buying this if I can update the RAM, SSD, CPU, and everything else. I also want every component to be easily accessible, with standard screws, as well as being able to easily flash the OS. This is very important to me, and to the vast majority of consumers.

     

     

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by TheWhiteFalcon View Post

     



    Needs a MicroSD card slot too.




    Don't forget the keyboard!!! 



    Fandroids have to have their keyboards!!

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  • Reply 17 of 73
    bloggerblogbloggerblog Posts: 2,543member
    What? No Parallel interface? Like why they keep doing that?!!
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  • Reply 18 of 73
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Slurpy View Post



    Only gonna consider buying this if I can update the RAM, SSD, CPU, and everything else. I also want every component to be easily accessible, with standard screws, as well as being able to easily flash the OS. This is very important to me, and to the vast majority of consumers.

    You forgot about the full size USB, thats a must for me.

     

    I also want a sim card slot so I can get charged extra from my carrier for the data the Watch uses.

     

    Apple should also consider porting Pages or MS Office into the watch so I can edit my spread sheets directly from my wrist.

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  • Reply 19 of 73
    cash907cash907 Posts: 893member
    I think Apple should start offering to send iFixit a unit to teardown.

    Make sure it's a special one.

    With every single bit of empty space filled with epoxy.

    And leave a note inside, that says "With Love, Jony Ive"


    Maybe they can change their name to sFixit?

    Are you insulting ifixit? Their tear down guides and support forums have saved me hundreds of dollars in repair fees, so I'm not understanding what your beef with them might possibly be.
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  • Reply 20 of 73
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    Actual Reuters headline:

    [url=http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/04/24/us-apple-watch-teardown-idUSKBN0NF0KF20150424]Apple thwarts geeks, investors probing smartwatch components[/URL]

    The S1 chip is completely sealed (as Apple has always said) and iFixit doesn't like it.

    [quote]In the past, they have identified the component parts, but now instead of identifying all the processors and chips, they're marketing it as the S1," said Sam Lionheart, a technical writer at iFixit.

    "They're being a little more protective of their suppliers and taking credit for more than they're making in house, which isn't a crime, to make the technology seem a bit more innovative or revolutionary than it really is," she added.[/quote]

    Of course sealing off the S1 wouldn't have anything to do with water resistance, of course it's all because Apple wants to make the Watch technology seem more innovative than it really is. :rolleyes:
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