In June, leaks suggested that Apple had developed a new and supposedly easier way to swap out a battery in the (then) unreleased iPhone 16.
The Information published a story that Apple had developed new “electrically induced adhesive debonding” technology to secure the battery in the latest iPhone, replacing adhesive strips. Apple has now confirmed that is the case, according to Engadget.
Apple claims that the new technology will make it faster and safer for iPhone owners and repair specialists to swap out the battery. It works by “running a low voltage electrical current through the new ionic liquid battery adhesive,” which releases the power pack from its enclosure.
Previously, Apple relied on glue to secure the battery in place, a practice that repair specialists complained was awkward to work around. Interestingly, the new ionized adhesive is only present in the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, but neither of the Pro models, as TechCrunch reports. We will have to wait and see what method the Pro models use to secure key components.
The adhesive strips that Apple has long used require skill to pull out and subsequently release the battery. This isn’t an easy process for a regular user (without experience) who wants to upgrade the handset. Making that process easier by simply administering a small jolt of electricity could open the door to replaceable batteries in future iPhones, if not the iPhone 16.
Apple has made some moves, encouraged by legislation, that make the process of swapping out a battery slightly easier. The iPhone 15’s redesigned internal chassis makes it easier to remove the back panel in comparison to earlier models, providing simpler access to the battery.
The company has also rolled back on its parts pairing policy, which would disable features linked to certain components that were replaced in an iPhone without the company’s authorization. Specifically, the battery would lose its health metrics if another iPhone battery was swapped-in without calibration.
These moves could mean a new era of easily swappable batteries. A practice that died in the last 10 years as manufacturers transitioned to sleeker designs and companies that experimented with modular concepts, such as LG, faded away. We’ll know more about how easy it is to access the internal parts of the iPhone 16 when the teardowns hit YouTube, but the current changes are promising for future iPhones.
