iPhone XS and XS Max Teardown
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 16 Steps
Last year’s iPhone X showed up with a name that turned heads and some seriously advanced guts. Now Apple’s rolling out the iPhone XS and XS Max, keeping the quirky names and dialing up the tech. For this teardown, we’re getting hands-on with both phones at the same time—so get ready for a double feature of Roman numerals and shiny internals. Big thanks to our mates at Circuitwise in Sydney, where the iPhones drop early and even the Apple Stores have an Aussie twist—and props to Creative Electron for their killer X-ray shots. Want more? Catch us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. If inboxes are your thing, we’ve got a newsletter for you too.
Step 1
- After last year's full redesign, the new iPhone feels refreshingly familiar—looks like we’re back to that classic tick/tock upgrade rhythm. Here’s the scoop:
- Powered by a hexa-core A12 Bionic chip with an upgraded Neural Engine that’s smarter than ever.
- Features stunning 5.8" (2436 × 1125) and 6.5" (2688 × 1242) Super Retina OLED screens at 458 ppi, complete with True Tone, wide color range, and 3D Touch.
- Equipped with dual 12 MP rear cameras (wide-angle and telephoto) sporting ƒ/1.8 and ƒ/2.4 apertures plus optical image stabilization, and a 7 MP front camera with TrueDepth FaceID tech.
- Starts at 64 GB storage, with options for 256 and 512 GB if you need more breathing room.
- Connectivity includes gigabit-class LTE (no 5G yet), 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi‑Fi with MIMO, Bluetooth 5.0, and NFC for all your wireless needs.
- Enhanced dust and water resistance rated at IP68, so it’s ready to take on the elements.
Step 2
- We might not judge a book by its Gorilla Glass cover, but let's be honest, these covers don’t scream innovation since we last laid eyes on the X model here.
- ... Except for that snazzy gold color and the added XL size option, of course.
- Lucky for us, Creative Electron is here to unveil any hidden surprises in store. (Their cutting-edge technique still employs X-rays, which are pronounced 'ex-rays', by the way!)
Step 3
Not shown: our teardown engineer's secret third arm.
- Check out our lineup of Xs and XRs, looking sharp as ever.
- Spot the new antenna band hanging out where the left-side mic holes used to be. Word on the street: it’s here for 'Gigabit LTE'—and yes, you’ll notice the speed.
- Double up on your drivers and get ready to dive in. Two tools, twice the fun!
Step 4
- Apple might have switched up their naming game, but thankfully, the way to open these devices stays just the same.
- We use our trusty iOpener to gently warm and loosen the hidden adhesive, then bring in a suction handle and a halberd spudger to carefully lift the display free.
- Even though we thought Apple might have cranked up the adhesive to hit that new IP68 waterproof rating, opening these phones was no tougher than dealing with their IP67-rated predecessors.
Tools Used
Step 5
- Kicking off this double feature teardown, we brought in some extra help to get things rolling.
- With the screens out, differences between the XS and XS Max start popping up.
- Who knew working without thumbs would slow things down? Luckily, with the right tools, even a kangaroo could manage.
- The XS Max sports a larger Taptic Engine—bigger phone, bigger vibes.
- There's an extended logic board in the XS Max, with one display connector now hanging out at the bottom.
- The XS battery has a quirky, fresh look, while the XS Max battery sticks to the classic style.
Step 6
The gaskets might look a bit different at first glance, but a closer look shows they’re pretty much the same as last year’s model. That said, if we were handling this in China, there’d be a whole different story when it comes to the SIM.
- Let's take a look for any signs of enhanced water resistance, starting with the biggest unsealed area on the device—the SIM card slot.
- Now that we've taken care of the topside components, it's time to focus on the heart of every S-series iPhone—the logic board!
Step 7
- Now that we've tackled this type of logic board before, we're becoming pros at separating this PCB sandwich. Let's dive into what we've got on the top layer (XS on the left, XS Max on the right):
- Toshiba TSB3243VB5275 64 GB NAND flash storage
- Apple/Cirrus Logic 338S00248 audio codec
- Cypress CPD2104 USB-C port controller
- NXP Semiconductor CBTL1612 display port multiplexer
- Texas Instruments SN61280E battery boost converter
- Bosch Sensortec accelerometer/gyroscope
Step 8
- Take a good look at the underside of the top board, and zoom in to get a closer look at all the fine details.
- Apple APL1W81 A12 Bionic SoC stacked on top of Micron MT53D512M64D4SB-046, a neat 4 GB LPDDR4X SDRAM – powerful, right?
- STMicroelectronics STB601A0 power management IC – likely handling Face ID duties, keeping things smooth and secure.
- 3x Apple/Cirrus Logic 338S00411 audio amplifiers – two for that sweet stereo sound and one for haptics. Feel the vibe!
- Apple/Dialog Semiconductor 338S00383-A0 power management IC – another piece in the power puzzle, making sure everything’s running like it should.
- Apple 338S00456 power management IC – keeping the juice flowing and things in check.
- Apple/Dialog Semiconductor 338S00375 system power management IC – this one's in charge of overall power management, keeping it all together.
- Texas Instruments SN2600B1 battery charger IC – charging your device without any hiccups, ensuring you’re always ready to go.
Step 9
Hey there, Qualcomm enthusiasts! Just a heads up, we're working with the same nifty embedded SIM (eSIM) that made appearances in the Apple Watch Series 3 and the Pixel 2 XL. Let's dive in and get your device back in action!
- Let's take a closer look at the RF board, shall we? On the left, we have the XS, and on the right, the XS Max:
- Meet the Apple/USI 339S00551 (XS) and 338S00540 (XS Max) – your WiFi/Bluetooth SoC champions!
- Next up, the Intel PMB9955, probably rocking the XMM7560 baseband processor/modems!
- Don't forget about the ST Microelectronics ST33G1M2 32-bit MCU, equipped with the ARM SecurCore SC300 – keeping things secure!
- Say hello to the NXP 100VB27 (SN100V) NFC controller, making your tap-and-go dreams come true!
- And last but not least, we've got the Broadcom BCM59355A wireless charging module – powering up your day!
Step 10
- RF board, round two—let’s do this:
- Avago AFEM-8092M is your go-to for powering up high and mid band signals.
- Murata 500 brings the MIMO magic with its compact 4x4 duplexer.
- Skyworks 206-15 and 170-21 handle the heavy lifting for power amplification.
- Intel PMB5762 is the RF transceiver—think of it as your device’s translator for radio waves.
- Skyworks S775 steps in as the switch to keep those RF signals moving where they need to go.
- Skyworks 5941 amps up your GPS with low-noise precision.
- Intel PMB6829 keeps things running smoothly as the power management IC.
Step 11
Time will tell if those bigger pixels can outshine last year's impressive Pixel 2 camera.
- Let's dive into the camera details! The S-year usually means an upgrade in the camera department, and Apple has plenty to share about these new sensors.
- One thing Apple didn’t highlight: that 32% increase had to go somewhere, which means the camera bump got a bit bigger—so your iPhone X case might not fit the iPhone XS perfectly.
- Teardown update: After some testing, it looks like the XS and XS Max share the same camera modules, so you can swap cameras between these models without any issues.
- The wide-angle sensor size got a 32% boost.
- Pixels got bigger too, improving low-light shots and powering the new "Smart HDR" feature.
Step 12
These batteries are pretty similar to the ones in the S9 and S9+, but they’re noticeably smaller than what you’d find in the Note9.
- After checking out the brains and the eyes, let’s dive into the muscle that keeps these phones running.
- The XS sports a 10.13 Wh battery (2,659 mAh at 3.81 V), weighing in at 39.5 g—just a tad smaller than last year's X.
- Unsurprisingly, the XS Max battery leads the pack with 12.08 Wh (3,179 mAh at 3.80 V), tipping the scales at 46.6 g. No single-cell setup here!
- But the real surprise is this new battery design: instead of two cells filling that L-shaped space, Apple crafted a fresh single-cell battery.
Step 13
It's pretty cool that this single-cell design maximizes space efficiency, though it might not deliver as much power.
- Ready to dive into the world of Apple's battery magic? Here's the scoop: Since 2015, when the 12" MacBook introduced that cool terraced battery design, Apple has been all about maximizing every inch of space inside their devices with custom-shaped batteries.
- These patents reveal the clever ways Apple tackles challenges like thermal expansion, including using different layer sizes and folding electrode sheets into complex shapes to fit those unique contours.
- With the XS's single-cell battery, those extra corners and edges are bound to face some extra stress. It’ll be interesting to see how this new design holds up over time, but hey, that’s what we’re here for!
Step 14
The XS Max comes equipped with a slightly more robust set of feedback units, but both Taptic engines stick to the tried-and-true designs of previous models.
- Last year's cutting-edge innovation is now just the usual: both the XS and XS Max pack a sensor setup that brings Face ID to the party.
- Ready for some buzz and boom? The Taptic engine and loudspeaker come out together, but split up easily for quick swaps.
- On that note, the earpiece speakers are nearly twins between the XS and XS Max—except the Max sneaks in a bit more speaker power.
Step 15
Even though this phone has gotten some nice upgrades, it's still rocking that same fragile iPhone 8/iPhone X back glass. That means, just one small crack and it might be time to replace the whole chassis.
- Digging into the bottom of the phone, we uncover some neat display chips and a bunch of tiny cables tucked inside the body.
- The rear glass is still stuck between the camera bump and the frame, held down by a whole bunch of tiny welds.
Step 16
- And just like that, our two-phone teardown has wrapped up neatly!
- We think this could be the dawn of a new age in iPhone battery design—the sleek single-cell concept is currently exclusive to the smaller XS, but we have a hunch we'll see it make a comeback soon. Maybe in the iPhone XR?
- A big shoutout to our fantastic hosts at Circuitwise in Sydney, Australia, and our pals at Creative Electron for the incredible X-ray shots.
- Oh, and before we sign off: it's time to give an overall repairability score!
