Apple AirPod Teardown

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The crew at iFixit are back at it, this time with a teardown of Apple's AirPods. The overall repairability rating is an "abysmal" 0 out of 10. The biggest problem is that there is no way to get into the AirPods without destroying the casing and the only thing holding everything in place is lots of glue.
 
Lol, glue. These will just fall apart in a few years. Or quicker once they heat up / cool down enough.
 
misfitsfiend said:
So uhhh what should they have used instead? What is currently holding your wired earbuds together?
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I use Yamaha EPH100SL which are milled aluminum and you can't see it but underneath the driver there is a circlip that locks the driver to the milled body. The EPH are the iem's on the right and the chrome barrel is the driver.

1221366_m.jpg
 
Ah... I figured they were unfiltered Marlboros.

Close enough.
 
misfitsfiend said:
So uhhh what should they have used instead? What is currently holding your wired earbuds together?
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Probably glue. Stuffs me. I got them for free and use head phones instead. Sure didn't pay $150usd for plastic and glue that looks like cum out my ears.
 
The put a freakin' ARM Cortex in a battery charger. I'd like to know what problem *that* chip is solving, considering it's sitting right next to a battery charging IC. :rolleyes:
 
thesmokingman said:
I use Yamaha EPH100SL which are milled aluminum and you can't see it but underneath the driver there is a circlip that locks the driver to the milled body. The EPH are the iem's on the right and the chrome barrel is the driver.
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Milled aluminum... circlip? Sounds expensive, apple needs to get the bom down to 99cents using plastic and glue, think of the shareholders.
 
gxp500 said:
Milled aluminum... circlip? Sounds expensive, apple needs to get the bom down to 99cents using plastic and glue, think of the shareholders.
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I bought em for under 60 off Amazon but they go for 120 ish normally. They're probably middle of the range for a good iem. High end ones like the Sony XBA Z5 are 500 bucks.
 
You all are criticizing earbuds for not being repairable? Who repairs earbuds?
 
I get the criticism of build quality but who the hell repairs earbuds?
 
Many horses died for the glue being used in the process of making this shit... R.I.P. horses...
 
evilsofa said:
You all are criticizing earbuds for not being repairable? Who repairs earbuds?
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At their price point, I've repaired several pairs of $100+ ear buds. Why keep shelling out hundreds of dollars when you can usually repair them?
 
MV75 said:
Lol, glue. These will just fall apart in a few years. Or quicker once they heat up / cool down enough.
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Um, no.

This is pretty much how all small, compact devices are built. Would you even want to try make screws small enough? Any tab system would be so fragile it would be a use-once-discard setup.

It is what it is. It's designed/built as per modern day standards for tiny devices.

Now excuse me, I have a Lima Bean that needs surgery.
 
acidrain97 said:
Many horses died for the glue being used in the process of making this shit... R.I.P. horses...
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No, no. It's Apple. They don't use horse glue. They use Unicorn glue. That's why they are so expensive.

:)

NOTE: Somewhat Apple Fan having fun. Don't have kittens people.
 
TechLarry said:
No, no. It's Apple. They don't use horse glue. They use Unicorn glue. That's why they are so expensive.

:)

NOTE: Somewhat Apple Fan having fun. Don't have kittens people.
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It better be as strong as gorilla glue and those batteries better not light fire in my ears either.
 
their new earbud design that came along with the 5 and up including these is very hard on the ears for me , surprised the dont have them with the rubber tips you can choose a size...then again its apple and you dont get choices
 
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I just wonder how much the Dog Poop Stained version's will show up on eBay for.

Trust me. Anything that small that goes missing, around my house, is typically deposited in the Dog Kennel within 3 days.
 
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