Once again, the cool cats at iFixit have come forward with a full teardown report, this time dissecting the iPhone SE 2020 and liking what they found.
As mentioned yesterday, the newest iPhone has been x-rayed, taken apart, and it was discovered that a number of core components could be easily replaced with iPhone 8 components. These components include the Taptic Engine, camera, SIM tray, and display unit.
The new teardown indicates that there are relatively few immediate differences between the models outside of some changes to the antenna and new placement of chips on the logic board.
A closer inspection of the camera indicates the iPhone SE is seemingly reusing the version included in the iPhone 8, with later testing revealing the component is interchangeable between models. It is believed that the iPhone SE’s camera benefits from the image processing capabilities of the A13 Bionic System on Chip.
The teardown revealed Apple’s Apple’s A13 Bionic SoC layered on 3GB of Samsung memory, an Intel modem, Skyworks power amplifier modules and low-band PAMiD, an Avago mid/high band PAMid, and a Cypress USB power delivery IC on one side of the logic board. The other side has Toshiba flash storage, an Apple-designed power management IC, USI Wi-Fi and Bluetooth SoC, a Broadcom touch controller, and other unidentified audio chips.
The screen, which lacks the 3D Touch feature, is largely identical to the iPhone 8 version, and includes relatively similar thicknesses, despite the newer version lacking a layer of capacitors and a control chip at the rear. The displays are otherwise fully interchangeable, but adding the iPhone 8’s screen to an iPhone SE won’t enable 3D Touch.
iFixit’s review knocked a few points to the IP67 seals complicating the repair process and Apple’s use of four different device drivers, and the fact that the fragile back of the device was deemed “impractical to replace,” but is still optimistic for DIY fans overall.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.
Via AppleInsider and iFixit