Replaceable components were one of the most talked-about features when Apple launched AirPods Pro, the latest wireless earphone line-up. It was generally thought that Apple would have made the device repairable as well, but teardown attempts have proven otherwise. According to the latest reports, based on the iFixit teardown attempts, repairing AirPods Pro is an impractical and uneconomical task. This means Apple hasn’t designed these devices to be repaired and used for a long period of time — going in sync with many Apple products, for that matter. The hardware differences are also a reason for this.
The teardown was able to spot some of the radical differences in hardware organization and design when it was compared to the old set of AirPods. While the teardown attempt did find the battery used in device as something familiar, the battery cannot be replaced at this point. Apple has apparently used a soldered cable for keeping the battery in place. So, in a worst-case scenario when your AirPods Pro witnesses a noticeable battery drain, there is nothing much to be done in the matter. To put things in perspective, AirPods Pro is a disposal device.
“An update to Monday’s report: Apple has confirmed that the new AirPods Pro are no more repairable than previous versions of the wireless earbuds. The pods are made partly with recyclable materials but due to size and build process (i.e glue) it doesn’t repair. Just replace,” read a tweet from Lauren Goode, from Wired, who contacted Apple for the confirmation. It is now confirmed that the device does not even have complete repairability or repairability even when it comes to the tips. Practically speaking, users won’t be able to use third-party earbuds from the market with their AirPods Pro even if they decide to miss out some features.
