iFixit has dissected Apple’s new AirPod wireless earphones, and it turns out that you won’t be taking them apart any time soon, unless you’re keen on turning your $159 purchase into a mutilated mess. Their sleek plastic exterior is full of tiny components coated in glue, and the charging case they come with is heavily fortified as well. Granted, most people don’t plan on doing that anyway, so this teardown is primarily a chance to satisfy our curiosity about the long-delayed product.
iFixit’s Apple AirPods teardown is gadget carnage
is a senior tech and policy editor focused on online platforms and free expression. Adi has covered virtual and augmented reality, the history of computing, and more for The Verge since 2011.
After a few months of delays, the final production version of AirPods is here, and I’ve finally had a chance to test them out.
The teardown tells us some things we already know about the AirPods, like the fact that the cylinder hanging off the bottom holds an antenna for better reception, with a very small battery at the end. iFixit also suggests that the delay could have been caused by a component in the case, due to one piece that seems to show soldering quality issues, although that’s obviously speculation. If you’re looking to actually buy AirPods, not just revel in their deconstruction, they started appearing in stores yesterday — even if the odds of successfully finding a pair seem pretty low.
Airpods Review
Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.
