iFixit tears down Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4

The electronics repair site iFixit published its teardown of Apple's new Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 on October 6, 9to5Mac reported. The inspection showed mixed results for repairability across the two devices. The Apple Watch Series 12 is easier to repair than previous iterations, according to AppleInsider, while the Apple Watch Ultra 4 structural design remains largely unchanged. [1][8]

During the teardown of the Apple Watch Ultra 4, iFixit applied heat and used a metal pick to pry the screen open to access the internal components, 9to5Mac reported. Replacing the battery still requires removing the display screen first, which iFixit noted remains a major drawback for repairability. The Apple Watch Ultra 4 contains a 2.444 Wh battery, an increase from the 2.313 Wh battery inside the Apple Watch Ultra 3, according to 9to5Mac. [1]

Alongside the teardown reports, retailers reduced the price of the Apple Watch Series 12 for the first time since its September release. Android Authority, Mashable, and Tom's Guide all reported that Amazon reduced the price of the 42mm GPS model by $50, bringing the device down from its $399.99 list price to $349.99. [2][3][4]