iFixit’s iPhone XS and XS Max teardown shows off the revamped batteries

Today is the official launch day for Apple’s latest iPhone XS and XS Max phones. And, as is practically a tradition, iFixit is ready with a full teardown to show off all the secrets inside Apple’s latest phones.

As expected, the new phones are pretty similar to last year’s iPhone X (the XS Max’s larger size notwithstanding), but there are a few tweaks and changes for the eagle-eyed observer to note between the two devices.

The biggest change is the battery. While last year’s iPhone X had two battery cells for a total charge of 2,716mAh, the iPhone XS has a single, L-shaped cell, with a slightly lower 2,659mAh capacity. (Apple claims that it’ll still offer slightly better battery life than the X does.) The XS Max, on the other hand, retains the two-cell system from the X, with a 3,179mAh battery. That’s not bad, but it’s not exactly the 4,000mAh battery from the Note 9, either.

According to iFixit, there’s also no evidence that the teardown team could find of any improved water or dust resistance, despite the improved IP68 ratings on the iPhone XS and XS Max. The company also notes that Apple is continuing to make more and more of its internal components in-house, adding a new, Apple-branded power management chip in this year’s models.

Lastly, there are a couple of minor cosmetic tweaks: there’s a new antenna line on the bottom of the phone (which is a handy way to tell the XS and X models apart), and the camera bump is slightly taller. So if you have a particularly form-fitting iPhone X case, you might not be able to use it on your XS.