- The latest AirPods 5 is now more repairable than many of its previous siblings.
- This comes from iFixit who found out the earbuds have a repairability score of 2/10 thanks to the pronged batteries on-board.
- The teardown reveals how Apple is inching closer to make its earbuds approachable and repairable even by DIYers.
AirPods 5 are the most repairable earbuds from Apple ever. With a repairability score of 2/10 by iFixit, AirPods 5 broke the streak that the Cupertino-based giant has maintained for a while, i.e., making it difficult to repair earbuds.
AirPods 5 are more repairable than majority of its predecessors
According to iFixit, AirPods 5 scored 2/10 on the iFixit repairability score. Now, this would seem too low for a score, but trust me, it is one of the highest for earbuds. For context, Apple AirPods 4 scored 0/10 on the scale, and the list goes on. Perhaps a low bar, AirPods 5 will still make head turns thanks to its pronged batteries, a leap away from batteries stuck to the chassis using strong adhesive.
By far, worn-out or drained batteries on earbuds are the most common problems. Removing the old batteries and replacing them with a new one may sound easy, but earbuds are notoriously known for their compact form factor and how everything is simply glued in, including the batteries. It increases the chances of piercing through or damaging the batteries or other components in wireless buds, making it difficult to repair.
With the AirPods 5 in the business, Apple has made it easier to replace old batteries thanks to its pronged approach. You still need to make some effort using a heat gun, a hair dryer, and other components; however, the batteries can be easily disconnected and swapped by regular DIYers.
You no longer need super expertise to get your hands on the AirPods 5 battery replacement, which is a relief. This includes replacing them on your own or abiding by the Self Service Repair program to get rid of bad battery problems.
Additionally, iFixit found out that you can’t swap the batteries from left to right bud or vice versa. This is because Apple uses polarized batteries on both buds with slightly off-center placement. There could be a software guardrail in place preventing the buds from charging when batteries are swapped from L to R or vice versa.
Well, it is easy to see the repairability score of 2/10 as a lowball, but it is still a major leap towards making earbuds repairable. Apple is working on AirPods with cameras coming as early as 2027. It remains to be seen what the repairability quotient looks like for the upcoming TWS buds.
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