The iPhone is surprisingly not bad. I’m really not sure how they can make AirPods repairable without compromising sound quality, splash resistance, speaker vibration, noise cancellation, or heat tolerance. This definitely applies to the case, though.
Their concern on being carbon neutral is only on papers. Just like students taking public exams to get into a university. Their goal is never to have better understanding of their subjects or protecting the environment, just some arbitrary points on a certificate to get whatever they want.
@@Tr4ns1st0r You shouldn't figure this out, I think a company worth 3.5 trillions that claims of being ¨Environmentally friendly" also making it a selling point for many of its products should have resources to figure how to create a repairable pair of headphones
Yeah, mine are currently not working because of this. Not even exercising just laying in bed. I love the sound quality but no way I would buy another pair just for them to break.
Few notes: - The new AirPods Max dropped wired audio support. Would really like to see if there were hardware changes in relation to this. - Would like confirmation if the AirPods Max headband's lightning connector transfers data and power, or just power. - The lightning APP2 support 5ghz (per FCC filing), but they can't do the new lossless protocol on Vision Pro because the USB-C version (and apparently AP4) have upgraded antennas. While the statement that the 2.4ghz + 5ghz combo enables the lossless feature makes sense, I don't think that's been 100% confirmed. There's unfortunately a lot of mystery around feature. Apple does confirm that AP4 and APP2 support lossless, low latency audio. However, that fact is strangely missing from the AP4 page itself. I really wish there was more testing with the lossless audio feature. I'm curious to see if multiple people with Vision Pros / AirPods Pro can use the feature while in the same room (confirming with latency tests that Apple isn't switching to standard bluetooth when this is the case).
I have been told by support this is a feature coming, it isn't supported or they simply do not know so Apple Support have no idea themselves. I am so baffled how Apple have dropped wired listening. Such a shame and makes me wish I kept my lightning set
@@eddyni5875 because everything uses USB c now for charging, and upgrading the first gen airpods max to USB c would let us finish recycling our lightning cables, without having to rebuy the airpods max.
Yes and no. I don't expect them to be because I know how litte manufacturers care about the longevity and maintainability of their product. As long as it meets the minimal legal requirements and customer expectations thats it. Customer expectations are malleable. ie, I don't expect it because I hold manufacturers like Apple in contempt when it comes to really minimising the environmental impact of their products. DonI think it SHOULD BE REPAIRABLE? Most certainly, the standard consumable bits such as batteries should be replaceable by the customer. Australia has a legal requirement for products to be "reasonably robust": that implies reparable and replaceable consumable components . A product in the price range of these products should be lasting at least 5 years, and with maintenance 10 years.
I think you should make videos with head/earphones with high level of repairability, guiding the customers to better brands and models, with preference which have global coverage. Is good to have options to choose beyond Apple and Samsung, also from Fairphone since the shipping costs are higher to overseas countries. 🤞
Well, that`s why I still super happy with my AirPods Pro Gen 1 where I swapped the lightning connector for a USB-C port thanks to KenP and his tinkering. :)
This is why is still use my £19 wired Earpods (that and the fact they are a fraction of the price, the battery never runs down and the Mic quality is way better for work Team and Zoom calls). They even have a handy cord device attached to stop you from losing them.
Exactly. This is why I still use my $20 wired landline phone (that and the fact it's a fraction of the price, the battery never runs down and the mic quality is way better). It even has a handy cord device attached to stop you from losing it!
Exactly! That's why I still ride my ¢35 donkey! No oil changes, no licensing requirements and it smells so you can always just locate it via smell. Not very useful for work calls tho.
@@jared9127 not really the same analogy, but never mind. Wired headphones still do the same job as wireless (just one has a wire, the other doesn’t). A landline and a mobile phone are entirely different devices with different functions .
Idk I’ve yet to have wired earbuds last more than a year but my wireless buds last many many years it’s an obvious environmental win if you keep the devices long
You can’t be serious. Ok you know what. You design your own pair of tic tac sized wireless earbuds with the SAME battery life SAME ip rating SAME speaker quality SAME functionality while making it repairable.
@@michealadebz I admit I'd have a hard time, but I'm not a trillion dollar company and the fact is that we've seen other companies do it with their earbuds. Also did you even watch the video? The battery is extremely small.
@@michealadebz So just let them get away with making more and more electronic waste as the years go on? If Apple had their way, every product would have zero repairability, and you’d have to buy a new device if anything goes wrong. Looking at it this way - YOU can’t be serious 😂
I "like" Apple to in theory but I just can't support a company that chooses not to "work" with other companies. I don't think it's a good "long-term" sustainable model. (This is more of a rant portion but I just feel sad/bad when I think about how much farther in advancement we would be if companies just worked together to make a better experience for consumers and then I think about where humanity would be if countries cooperated together and stopped the fighting.
@@B-RaDD I think that lately due to the lack of innovation (maybe it is more difficult to innovate because of the advanced technology, I don't know), companies including Apple the only thing they do is to launch products with minimal changes and somehow deceive us with advertising to make us believe that it is a novelty that will help us in life. I do not know, I have always trusted Apple, and indeed, I think it continues to make very good products and better than the competition, but with the issue of little repairability, little innovation, misleading advertising ... perhaps we are at a point where Apple is no longer so. I think they need to renew the top management as they are too conservative and young people with new ideas are needed. I think the Cook era will end soon, because if not Apple will end up being the same as all companies.
Apple have made most of their products extremely repairable... the level of engineering to make these airpods repairable but also sleek and compact would make the cost sky rocket. I dont think its intentional at all, i think at $250 its a consumable product that you can afford to replace and recycle once done.
it's like they made them deliberately to be as unrepairable as possible. making the melting point of the plastic casing lower than the glue they use is just pure evil
That's like me saying my BMW has been perfectly reliable and will never need its engine repaired. Not every device is built the same, especially with consumer electronics having a design life of a few years.
@@1nvd That's good they're still getting use. My problem is also that they bring out new improved versions every year or 2 so people buy becuase the the new ones are better then the old ones end up getting thrown eventually and they're are so tricky to recycle with batteries and electronics encased in glue and plastic. I know it's consumerism, but these seem like peak candidates for future e-waste.
I use my AirPods Pro 2 for probably 8 hours a day, 7 days a week, and for a couple of years now, and they still get fantastic battery life for music / podcasts. I've also used other ANC top-end earbuds, from Bose and Sony, and it's not even remotely close on what the best ones are. The Apple product is the smallest and most comfortable, by far, with the best noise canceling. I don't care if Bose or Sony makes parts easier to replace, their products are inferior, in very notable ways. Meanwhile, Apple's stuff just works, year after year, without problems.
I too have had good success with AirPods Pro 2 but don't use them nearly as much as you, but I may start to soon. What are your charging habits? Do you let the case go down to 10% and recharge or do you recharge the case more often than that?
@@magnoliarailproductions7264 I charge the case every night - for the earbuds, just depends on usage, but they probably run down to around 30-40% before they're recharged on average - but really it can swing wildly. So far the battery life remains excellent, which is frankly surprising considering how many cycles they have gone through by now.
Expecting airpods to be extremely repairable but also small, compact and well designed seems a bit wild to me. other than the Maxes which are semi repairable the airpods are at a consumable pricepoint anyway. I have original airpods that still work fine.
i was really hoping they would have said they changed nothing then just secretly fixed all the issues with airpod max. they have a lear issue with waterproofing and liquid damage. i didnt get any liquid in mine and they said it was liquid damaged
Rewatching iFixit's repairs of older Samsung buds models like the Buds Plus and Galaxy Buds Live (aka Beans) - it's clear it's not only possible for them to be repairable they made it look easy. Maybe its a mental attitude thing on the part of Apple's engineers (that it's supposedly too hard) and not an actual hurdle as to if the Airpods can be made repairable. Maybe Apple's engineers are not that good or a tad bit lazy. Wouldn't be surprised if commercial concerns come to it too. Make it too repairable and that cannibalises future sales plus ties up repair time and resources for little gain in Apple's eyes. Probably why even Samsung's engineers recently started compromising and started soldering the battery which they didn't do before. Profiteering. Plus extreme capitalism in practice. Makes the earbuds possible (nice 😊) but makes it a disposable rather than reusable item so that consumers can rebuy many of them when they eventually spoil (and make the consumer tech companies even richer through casual, wasteful design - bad) 😞 *Edited for syntax corrections.
Would have loved to see a shout out to the usb c kits from Exploring the Simulation. I'm actually considering doing a battery replacement on my airpods 2 case since I can follow his guides to remove the original shell and use a 3d printed replacement shell
I can understand that the buds are complicated and hard to repair (though they could definitely do better), but what's up with the case ? It's a battery and a board in a box !
Curious - for airpods we had 3rd party repairers like Pod Swap. When it comes to this gen, could just (gently) ripping the guts out and affixing them to an aftermarket chassis work just as well? 🤔 Even if the build quality isn’t perfect, I find that preferable to just discarding the buds altogether.
The AirPods 4 with ANC have wireless charging and magnetic Apple Watch puck charging hardware. The non ANC ones do not. You show the scan of the case with this difference visible at 7:25 while saying theres no other differences besides the speaker. Hate the buds all you want but at least look at your scans for more than a few seconds… or even the online comparison page…
My right AirPod 4 sometimes they can’t hear me when I speak and then I remember that a few days before it drops down on the floor. Is it possible to damage the speaker?
Have you guys, or anyone youve seen done a teardown on the Pill 2024 yet? I have a few and dont wanna crack it open just to see whats in it. Id rather watch you guys do it. just cant seem to find a video yet. Plenty of the old Pill + though
Some things are meant to be disposable, and that's OK. I mean, how many plastic toothbrushes do you throw away each year? Do you have the bristles changed on your toothbrush to save the planet? No, because there are bigger climate battle to fight, like making sure you're actually recycling your plastic/aluminum/glass bottles rather than tossing them in the rubbish bin, like most people do. Tossing away $129 earphones every 5 years when the battery is worn out, is no different than tossing away $6 toothbrushes every 1-2 months...
most people report that airpods break pretty often, nowhere near the 5 year mark you claimed also, there's valuable lithium in it, not the same as a plastic toothbrush
I'm curious, hardware-wise what makes the stem's playback controls different between the AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2? The Pro 2 has the volume gesture and the AP4 does not, but other than that they have the exact same pressure-sensitive controls. Is there really a hardware difference between the two? Or did Apple lock that behind software?
The AirPods Max are too expensive (more expensive than Beats!) and the regular Airpods/Airpods ANC/Airpods Pro are so unrepairable that you're better off getting something much cheaper. My Anker Soundcore P20i earbuds do almost everything an Airpods will do, except being universally compatible via Bluetooth, and are about 1/10th of the price of Airpods...
@@jeromekwok facts they want the best of both worlds when in reality people want a sleep compact design.. I have never known anyone want to repair their airpods... they're $250 ffs, recycle and buy new.
I'm not sure if something this small and advanced is possible with modular and accessible components. Are there any earphones this small that got a better repair score? Asking honestly, I will really like to know
Just take inspiration from other brands. It doesn't have to be perfect but it doesn't also have to be this hard to repair. Even professionals can't repair this.
Consumer are getting wise when it comes to smartphone repair (their main product), so they made some efforts on that front. But they just want good PR, they don't really care.
How are they supposed to make AirPods repairable anyway? They still have to be small and light while also being something actually worthwhile to repair.
They can’t. And I can’t imagine the failure rate for AirPod logic boards outside of physical damage (because you’ll likely be screwed then) is all that great. Granted the stem design is inherently impossible my only actual complaint is the battery. That’s a small issue that could with minimal impact be solved. I personally don’t see any use in complaining about “what if the SOC dies, you have to throw them away” YEAHHH. Outside of making AirPods look like temu AirPods with a stem that can house a family of 5 there’s not much that can be done. It’s an inherent issue with “buds” that ALL companies share as long as they were made green, and not just dumped in a landfill, I see no issue with “disposable” items. In my experience these “disposable” items always work beyond their means. Never fails, I replace the battery in something and it’s not too long before i replace it. I don’t think it’s a bad thing we live in a society where you have to run everything you own into the graveyard. But that’s just me. I fixit wants headphones to be those massive 80s things you probably used in school.
@@DeltaStormYT yeah, I agree, I do think they could make them out of aluminum or something like electroplating the plastic to at least make them more durable and a little less disposable. The fairphone earbuds are definitely more repairable but they are, without a doubt, not as good earbuds as the AirPods.
@@juliet4093 n=1 and you did not comment on battery health and usage, so invalid argument. Whether or not wireless headphones can stretch their battery to a decade isn't deterring to this comparison either, as as long as the membranes stay good wired headphones stay functional indefinitely. And when either fail, usually a wire is cheaper and easier to replace than a battery, but this depends on the construction.
@@WyvernDotRed I didn’t comment on it because there is nothing to say about it, they last fine, heavily used battery, Don’t argue like a redditor by the way it’ll give people the worst possible impression
@@propersod2390 I ram aware and have replaced a worn out battery twice on my previous phone and know where to get and how to install replacements in my current one. With headphones it depends on the build whether the battery can easily be replaced, but if disassembling it causes a creak there, it's ruined whereas it doesn't functionally matter for a phone.
Really inexcusable behaviour still glueing and soldering everything shut. Almost as bad as making a soldering pen temperature only controllable through a web browser.
A lot of agencies and non-profits have, and that's why they hand out settlements. Apple as a company has to do a lot of dancing around consumer features and "value" for its shareholders. It's not the world we'd like where they both go hand in hand, but its unfortunately the world we live in.
I bought the original Airpod Pros on discount but I won't buy them again for this reason. I'd rather use something with worse audio quality like the fairbuds if I can at least replace the batteries.
You'd think for a company that's aims to be carbon neutral, would make it easer to repair their devices...
The iPhone is surprisingly not bad. I’m really not sure how they can make AirPods repairable without compromising sound quality, splash resistance, speaker vibration, noise cancellation, or heat tolerance.
This definitely applies to the case, though.
if you can fix your devices, airpods especially, then nobody would ever buy new ones.
Their concern on being carbon neutral is only on papers. Just like students taking public exams to get into a university. Their goal is never to have better understanding of their subjects or protecting the environment, just some arbitrary points on a certificate to get whatever they want.
That "Mother Earth" advertisement they made last year was extremely nauseating for that reason.
@@Tr4ns1st0r You shouldn't figure this out, I think a company worth 3.5 trillions that claims of being ¨Environmentally friendly" also making it a selling point for many of its products should have resources to figure how to create a repairable pair of headphones
Apple: "how many generations do you want us to release for you to realize that this is not meant to be repaired?"
iFixit: Yes!
Is it possible to give a negative score?
I can’t believe they haven’t made a single change to the Max to address the condensation issues.
Yeah, mine are currently not working because of this. Not even exercising just laying in bed. I love the sound quality but no way I would buy another pair just for them to break.
No repairability, no problem. removing the apple sicker will reduce plastic waste.
I was thinking to myself is there a physical difference between both AirPods 4 and then this video came up
Few notes:
- The new AirPods Max dropped wired audio support. Would really like to see if there were hardware changes in relation to this.
- Would like confirmation if the AirPods Max headband's lightning connector transfers data and power, or just power.
- The lightning APP2 support 5ghz (per FCC filing), but they can't do the new lossless protocol on Vision Pro because the USB-C version (and apparently AP4) have upgraded antennas. While the statement that the 2.4ghz + 5ghz combo enables the lossless feature makes sense, I don't think that's been 100% confirmed. There's unfortunately a lot of mystery around feature. Apple does confirm that AP4 and APP2 support lossless, low latency audio. However, that fact is strangely missing from the AP4 page itself.
I really wish there was more testing with the lossless audio feature. I'm curious to see if multiple people with Vision Pros / AirPods Pro can use the feature while in the same room (confirming with latency tests that Apple isn't switching to standard bluetooth when this is the case).
The bluetooth reciving circuit is only in one earcup so headband has to transmit data too
@@kacperolszowski1331 I’ve been trying to figure this out for years. Thank you! Always assumed the Max was AirPods Pro with bigger drivers.
I have been told by support this is a feature coming, it isn't supported or they simply do not know so Apple Support have no idea themselves. I am so baffled how Apple have dropped wired listening. Such a shame and makes me wish I kept my lightning set
Ifixit, I can't wait to see apple watch 10 teardown
Is it possible to swap the airpods max2 charging board with the first generation airpods max?
why would you do that
sadly not
@@eddyni5875 because everything uses USB c now for charging, and upgrading the first gen airpods max to USB c would let us finish recycling our lightning cables, without having to rebuy the airpods max.
Hey iFixit,
Would it still be provisional 6/10 if it's been 4 years since the Max came out?
Does anyone actually expect these things to be repairable? lol
Yes and no.
I don't expect them to be because I know how litte manufacturers care about the longevity and maintainability of their product. As long as it meets the minimal legal requirements and customer expectations thats it. Customer expectations are malleable. ie, I don't expect it because I hold manufacturers like Apple in contempt when it comes to really minimising the environmental impact of their products.
DonI think it SHOULD BE REPAIRABLE? Most certainly, the standard consumable bits such as batteries should be replaceable by the customer.
Australia has a legal requirement for products to be "reasonably robust": that implies reparable and replaceable consumable components .
A product in the price range of these products should be lasting at least 5 years, and with maintenance 10 years.
I think you should make videos with head/earphones with high level of repairability, guiding the customers to better brands and models, with preference which have global coverage.
Is good to have options to choose beyond Apple and Samsung, also from Fairphone since the shipping costs are higher to overseas countries. 🤞
Watching while listening this with Airpods 4...oh boy
Well, that`s why I still super happy with my AirPods Pro Gen 1 where I swapped the lightning connector for a USB-C port thanks to KenP and his tinkering. :)
This is why is still use my £19 wired Earpods (that and the fact they are a fraction of the price, the battery never runs down and the Mic quality is way better for work Team and Zoom calls). They even have a handy cord device attached to stop you from losing them.
Exactly. This is why I still use my $20 wired landline phone (that and the fact it's a fraction of the price, the battery never runs down and the mic quality is way better). It even has a handy cord device attached to stop you from losing it!
Exactly! That's why I still ride my ¢35 donkey! No oil changes, no licensing requirements and it smells so you can always just locate it via smell. Not very useful for work calls tho.
I only use headphones when exercising, I will never go back to dealing with wired headphones for that. €40 anker wireless ones work just fine
this is why i still use my 19 franks messaging bi- ok no you're right do
@@jared9127 not really the same analogy, but never mind. Wired headphones still do the same job as wireless (just one has a wire, the other doesn’t). A landline and a mobile phone are entirely different devices with different functions .
I think it's good that with people like you there are people who don't get tired of upholding the poor repairability
Idk I’ve yet to have wired earbuds last more than a year but my wireless buds last many many years it’s an obvious environmental win if you keep the devices long
Are you buying 160 dollar wired ones though? Or 5 dollar ones from the dollar store
Love that synthwave bgm tho ❤
Really unexcusable
Inexcusable*
You can’t be serious.
Ok you know what. You design your own pair of tic tac sized wireless earbuds with the SAME battery life SAME ip rating SAME speaker quality SAME functionality while making it repairable.
@@michealadebz I admit I'd have a hard time, but I'm not a trillion dollar company and the fact is that we've seen other companies do it with their earbuds. Also did you even watch the video? The battery is extremely small.
@@michealadebz So just let them get away with making more and more electronic waste as the years go on? If Apple had their way, every product would have zero repairability, and you’d have to buy a new device if anything goes wrong. Looking at it this way - YOU can’t be serious 😂
Apple made it not to repair
They made it like use and throw devices
Which can help to manage e- waste
This level of difficulty is on purpose for sure. I'm starting to get tired of the things Apple is doing, and I like the brand.
I "like" Apple to in theory but I just can't support a company that chooses not to "work" with other companies. I don't think it's a good "long-term" sustainable model.
(This is more of a rant portion but I just feel sad/bad when I think about how much farther in advancement we would be if companies just worked together to make a better experience for consumers and then I think about where humanity would be if countries cooperated together and stopped the fighting.
Just don’t buy their products then if you don’t like it 🙄
@@B-RaDD I think that lately due to the lack of innovation (maybe it is more difficult to innovate because of the advanced technology, I don't know), companies including Apple the only thing they do is to launch products with minimal changes and somehow deceive us with advertising to make us believe that it is a novelty that will help us in life. I do not know, I have always trusted Apple, and indeed, I think it continues to make very good products and better than the competition, but with the issue of little repairability, little innovation, misleading advertising ... perhaps we are at a point where Apple is no longer so. I think they need to renew the top management as they are too conservative and young people with new ideas are needed. I think the Cook era will end soon, because if not Apple will end up being the same as all companies.
Apple have made most of their products extremely repairable... the level of engineering to make these airpods repairable but also sleek and compact would make the cost sky rocket. I dont think its intentional at all, i think at $250 its a consumable product that you can afford to replace and recycle once done.
@@spiderfandom7592 I think you misspelled something cause Apple has made essentially 0 of their products repairable, heck they even pair parts.
it's like they made them deliberately to be as unrepairable as possible. making the melting point of the plastic casing lower than the glue they use is just pure evil
lol my AirPods 1 never needed new batteries or to be fixed…….consumers are hilarious but we can be
That's like me saying my BMW has been perfectly reliable and will never need its engine repaired.
Not every device is built the same, especially with consumer electronics having a design life of a few years.
@@1nvd never needed? what did you end up doing with them?
@@a1white i used them daily for years and gave them to my mom lol
@@1nvd That's good they're still getting use. My problem is also that they bring out new improved versions every year or 2 so people buy becuase the the new ones are better then the old ones end up getting thrown eventually and they're are so tricky to recycle with batteries and electronics encased in glue and plastic. I know it's consumerism, but these seem like peak candidates for future e-waste.
4:41, that looks wild with the eyes coming through. skinwalker look
Thanks for doing that, so we don't have to!
I use my AirPods Pro 2 for probably 8 hours a day, 7 days a week, and for a couple of years now, and they still get fantastic battery life for music / podcasts. I've also used other ANC top-end earbuds, from Bose and Sony, and it's not even remotely close on what the best ones are. The Apple product is the smallest and most comfortable, by far, with the best noise canceling. I don't care if Bose or Sony makes parts easier to replace, their products are inferior, in very notable ways. Meanwhile, Apple's stuff just works, year after year, without problems.
I too have had good success with AirPods Pro 2 but don't use them nearly as much as you, but I may start to soon. What are your charging habits? Do you let the case go down to 10% and recharge or do you recharge the case more often than that?
@@magnoliarailproductions7264 I charge the case every night - for the earbuds, just depends on usage, but they probably run down to around 30-40% before they're recharged on average - but really it can swing wildly. So far the battery life remains excellent, which is frankly surprising considering how many cycles they have gone through by now.
Expecting airpods to be extremely repairable but also small, compact and well designed seems a bit wild to me. other than the Maxes which are semi repairable the airpods are at a consumable pricepoint anyway. I have original airpods that still work fine.
Yes, true, but I’m sure Apple has the potential to impress you with impressive repairability innovation as they do with everything else often times
@@TheBevo67 the batteries do last that long and I still use them everyday 👍
What I really want to know is whether you can obtain the USB-C port for the 2024 AirPods Max and put it in the original ones…
you'd have to change the housing too.
@@iamwisdomsky Upon further research, it's minimal change with Ken Pillonel's mods.
Hot air gun for the Fixhub?
Solder sucking gun for the Fixhub?
The chip content is different in the two cases between ANC and basic
They really see only 2$ difference. ;)
@@nnnnnn3647 yeah I’m quite positive it’s more than a USD2 difference :)
@@C1367 so whats the exact differences? care to share?
This is the most painful disassembly video I ever watched
You have to heat them to 230 deg. F?!
Nobody has ever made repairable earbuds that are actually worth buying, making them repairable will far out weigh the benefits of it.
i was really hoping they would have said they changed nothing then just secretly fixed all the issues with airpod max. they have a lear issue with waterproofing and liquid damage. i didnt get any liquid in mine and they said it was liquid damaged
Rewatching iFixit's repairs of older Samsung buds models like the Buds Plus and Galaxy Buds Live (aka Beans) - it's clear it's not only possible for them to be repairable they made it look easy.
Maybe its a mental attitude thing on the part of Apple's engineers (that it's supposedly too hard) and not an actual hurdle as to if the Airpods can be made repairable. Maybe Apple's engineers are not that good or a tad bit lazy.
Wouldn't be surprised if commercial concerns come to it too. Make it too repairable and that cannibalises future sales plus ties up repair time and resources for little gain in Apple's eyes.
Probably why even Samsung's engineers recently started compromising and started soldering the battery which they didn't do before.
Profiteering.
Plus extreme capitalism in practice.
Makes the earbuds possible (nice 😊) but makes it a disposable rather than reusable item so that consumers can rebuy many of them when they eventually spoil (and make the consumer tech companies even richer through casual, wasteful design - bad) 😞
*Edited for syntax corrections.
do you plan to do the Soundcore Liberty 4 pro?
Would have loved to see a shout out to the usb c kits from Exploring the Simulation. I'm actually considering doing a battery replacement on my airpods 2 case since I can follow his guides to remove the original shell and use a 3d printed replacement shell
It is bold to say the only difference is a $5 mic. Should a PC with no software installed cost the same as a PC with loaded software?
Can't wait to see iFixit to teardown a CPU or GPU
Can’t wait for the new Apple Watch Teardown!
6/10 repairability on the airpod max, but you damaged the diaphragm, making the headphones functionally broken...
@@SakuraDoll-C haha, what?
@@MrNoipe Damaging the diaphragm does not affect the sound.
@@SakuraDoll-C it definitely does
I can understand that the buds are complicated and hard to repair (though they could definitely do better), but what's up with the case ?
It's a battery and a board in a box !
Curious - for airpods we had 3rd party repairers like Pod Swap. When it comes to this gen, could just (gently) ripping the guts out and affixing them to an aftermarket chassis work just as well? 🤔 Even if the build quality isn’t perfect, I find that preferable to just discarding the buds altogether.
Is there a difference between AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 ANC?
No. Just an optional feature if you want it.
If fairphone can do it with this style of buds so can apple.
Quest 3s coming anytime soon?
GREAT video. is it possible to fix the noise on the apple airpod max?
Well assuming previous models were getting progressively harder to open like these, now we know why PodSwap went out of business.
This video is like a treatise explaining why I will never buy AirPods.
Can we get those 3d models made with Lumafield?
How did you miss that the AirPods 4 doesn't have Wireless charging vs the AirPods 4 ANC version?
Prg mentioned!?
Atleast let us easily change battery in the case Apple 🤷♂️
The AirPods 4 with ANC have wireless charging and magnetic Apple Watch puck charging hardware. The non ANC ones do not. You show the scan of the case with this difference visible at 7:25 while saying theres no other differences besides the speaker. Hate the buds all you want but at least look at your scans for more than a few seconds… or even the online comparison page…
Imagine the battery stem could be unscrewed from the upper speaker part to be easily replaceable
There are pressure and touch sensors on that portion for volume and playback controls.
My right AirPod 4 sometimes they can’t hear me when I speak and then I remember that a few days before it drops down on the floor. Is it possible to damage the speaker?
Music from the beggining?
This is painful 😖
I get the pods need to be glued together but for the charging case there is no excuse to not use screws
Have you guys, or anyone youve seen done a teardown on the Pill 2024 yet? I have a few and dont wanna crack it open just to see whats in it. Id rather watch you guys do it. just cant seem to find a video yet. Plenty of the old Pill + though
Some things are meant to be disposable, and that's OK. I mean, how many plastic toothbrushes do you throw away each year? Do you have the bristles changed on your toothbrush to save the planet? No, because there are bigger climate battle to fight, like making sure you're actually recycling your plastic/aluminum/glass bottles rather than tossing them in the rubbish bin, like most people do. Tossing away $129 earphones every 5 years when the battery is worn out, is no different than tossing away $6 toothbrushes every 1-2 months...
Yes. I don't throw away the whole electric toothbrush just to replace the bristles.
most people report that airpods break pretty often, nowhere near the 5 year mark you claimed
also, there's valuable lithium in it, not the same as a plastic toothbrush
I'm curious, hardware-wise what makes the stem's playback controls different between the AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2? The Pro 2 has the volume gesture and the AP4 does not, but other than that they have the exact same pressure-sensitive controls. Is there really a hardware difference between the two? Or did Apple lock that behind software?
Interesting that the battery doesnt really show up under this form of imagery.
They made everything to make the charger case unrepeatable
I think most people expect them to be treated as consumables.
Most manufacturers and marketers want you to do that.Not convinced that most people want that when left to their own volition.
@@TomHallam08 that’s why I said expect not want
The case looks kinda cute 😂😂😂
The AirPods Max are too expensive (more expensive than Beats!) and the regular Airpods/Airpods ANC/Airpods Pro are so unrepairable that you're better off getting something much cheaper. My Anker Soundcore P20i earbuds do almost everything an Airpods will do, except being universally compatible via Bluetooth, and are about 1/10th of the price of Airpods...
wonder what it feels like to be one of the engineers who worked on these watching videos like this...
Bose?
Not really sure how you make earphones like this repairable
By making it more modular? No?
@@kanzai12 if you change all the glues to screws, then the earbuds will be much bigger.
@@jeromekwok facts they want the best of both worlds when in reality people want a sleep compact design.. I have never known anyone want to repair their airpods... they're $250 ffs, recycle and buy new.
I'm not sure if something this small and advanced is possible with modular and accessible components. Are there any earphones this small that got a better repair score? Asking honestly, I will really like to know
Just take inspiration from other brands. It doesn't have to be perfect but it doesn't also have to be this hard to repair. Even professionals can't repair this.
And even with that super strong glue, both of my AirPods Pro 2 are coming unglued.
That tool is so cool 😂
The teardown is great, but the music is WAY overkill, energetic, and unnecessary.
Consumer are getting wise when it comes to smartphone repair (their main product), so they made some efforts on that front.
But they just want good PR, they don't really care.
Airpods 2025: -1 out of 0
How are they supposed to make AirPods repairable anyway? They still have to be small and light while also being something actually worthwhile to repair.
They can’t. And I can’t imagine the failure rate for AirPod logic boards outside of physical damage (because you’ll likely be screwed then) is all that great. Granted the stem design is inherently impossible my only actual complaint is the battery. That’s a small issue that could with minimal impact be solved.
I personally don’t see any use in complaining about “what if the SOC dies, you have to throw them away” YEAHHH. Outside of making AirPods look like temu AirPods with a stem that can house a family of 5 there’s not much that can be done. It’s an inherent issue with “buds” that ALL companies share as long as they were made green, and not just dumped in a landfill, I see no issue with “disposable” items. In my experience these “disposable” items always work beyond their means. Never fails, I replace the battery in something and it’s not too long before i replace it. I don’t think it’s a bad thing we live in a society where you have to run everything you own into the graveyard. But that’s just me.
I fixit wants headphones to be those massive 80s things you probably used in school.
@@DeltaStormYT yeah, I agree, I do think they could make them out of aluminum or something like electroplating the plastic to at least make them more durable and a little less disposable. The fairphone earbuds are definitely more repairable but they are, without a doubt, not as good earbuds as the AirPods.
“The difference between ANC and non-ANC models appears to be a $2 microphone” and we pay 50$ for that ☠️
All Apple products will tear down by you
i truly wonder how many tons of e-waste are generated by just Airpods
I understand why the buds are basically unrepariable but apple has no excuse for the case!
And still no hi fi support for airpods max
My heart actually hurts when the hinge snapped 5:21
Repairing is not always better for the environment.
Lol, what?
@@Misimpa Many easy seeming problems are not trivial :)
I was able to pop open some old airpods with my teeth
never buying an apple accessory just for this reason.
i've never seen someone repair in ear headphones... throw them away and buy new ones...
Eso es lo que quiere Apple.
There are cheaper AAC headphones on thr market.
For only $29, you’ll get unlimited replacement with in 24 months…. No need for repair from 3rd party! imo
why dont you just do 99% isopopyl alcohol to open it it would do nothing to the components and just break any adhesive
I refuse to buy any headphones with a battery, Bluettoh be dammed. I'll stick to wires and know my headphones will still work in 10 years.
My 8 year old wireless headphones still work your fears are unfounded
@@juliet4093 n=1 and you did not comment on battery health and usage, so invalid argument.
Whether or not wireless headphones can stretch their battery to a decade isn't deterring to this comparison either, as as long as the membranes stay good wired headphones stay functional indefinitely.
And when either fail, usually a wire is cheaper and easier to replace than a battery, but this depends on the construction.
@@WyvernDotRed I didn’t comment on it because there is nothing to say about it, they last fine, heavily used battery,
Don’t argue like a redditor by the way it’ll give people the worst possible impression
i assume you use a landline phone then? Because you do realize your phone also has a battery right?
@@propersod2390 I ram aware and have replaced a worn out battery twice on my previous phone and know where to get and how to install replacements in my current one.
With headphones it depends on the build whether the battery can easily be replaced, but if disassembling it causes a creak there, it's ruined whereas it doesn't functionally matter for a phone.
Really inexcusable behaviour still glueing and soldering everything shut. Almost as bad as making a soldering pen temperature only controllable through a web browser.
That's where you can see that they only care about repairability when it is cheap and easy to do.
They have infinity R&D budgets, but not for that.
I think they only care about repairability when there's pressure from the government to do so.
Lol, even our local store can tear it down without any noticeable scratch.
Where is his accent from?
skill issue
Someone should sue Apple.
A lot of agencies and non-profits have, and that's why they hand out settlements. Apple as a company has to do a lot of dancing around consumer features and "value" for its shareholders. It's not the world we'd like where they both go hand in hand, but its unfortunately the world we live in.
Sue them for what?
🔥
@@spiderfandom7592 The rubbish they produce. Why should their bad design decisions be a cost the public has to pay for?
@@TomHallam08 apple has some of the best design of internal components on earth. Your ignorance is astounding.
AirPod is such a fashion e-waste
AirPods are such a trun off in terms of sustainability, ugh.
EarPods are still the way to go
They should be obligated to make it repairable. And it shouldn't always be the EU to to it.
Rip ewaste
but you use iMac lol
I bought the original Airpod Pros on discount but I won't buy them again for this reason. I'd rather use something with worse audio quality like the fairbuds if I can at least replace the batteries.