Apple releases iPhone 16 battery replacement procedure, adhesive peels off when voltage is applied & mysterious 'sand' is also required, but Apple support does not provide details, saying 'there is no situation in Japan where users can replace the battery'
Apple has published a page explaining how to replace the battery on the iPhone 16. The page states that 'applying voltage will remove the adhesive,' and includes 'sand' and a 'container of sand' of unknown purpose in the list of necessary tools.
iPhone 16: Battery - Apple Support (Japan)
Below is the iPhone 16 with the back cover removed. The part shown in blue is the battery.
The battery is secured in place with adhesive, but the adhesive can be easily removed by connecting a 9V battery to the silver tab that connects to the battery.
It seems that the adhesive will come off if you connect a 9V battery as shown below and wait 1 minute and 30 seconds.
Once the adhesive has peeled off, you can remove it using a suction cup or similar.
When iFixit actually tried to disassemble the iPhone 16 , the adhesive peeled off cleanly.
The adhesive appears to have lost all of its adhesion, and iFixit has even confirmed that the battery is detaching under its own weight.
While reading Apple's instruction page, I discovered that the list of tools required included 'sand' and 'a container with sand.' However, neither 'sand' nor 'a container with sand' appears in the step-by-step instructions.
Looking at the '
Based on the disassembly procedure and the amount of sand required, we can assume that the sand is for extinguishing fires, but we wanted to know Apple's official stance on the matter, so we contacted Apple support.
After making an inquiry, I was told that it would be difficult to provide assistance because ' in Japan, it is not the case that ordinary customers can replace the battery themselves .' Since it would be difficult to provide assistance through chat support, they would switch to telephone support with a 'specialist.'
A few seconds after being directed to a 'specialist' for phone support, I received a call from an 'Apple Care representative,' so I asked about the use of sand. The questions and answers were as follows:
Q: The iPhone 16 battery replacement procedure explanation page lists 'sand' and a 'container with sand' as necessary tools, but neither of them appear in the explanation text. Please tell me the purpose of 'sand' and 'container with sand'.
A: Indeed, the support page does not explain how to use the 'sand'. We do not directly repair the device, so we do not know what the sand is used for. If you want to know more, you may be able to get an answer by asking an Apple authorized dealer or an official shop technician directly.
Q: So no matter how much I contact Apple support, they never give me an answer?
A: That's right.
Regarding the purpose of the battery replacement procedure explanation page, we received the answer that ' It is a page introducing the battery replacement procedure, and is not intended for users to carry it out .'
Q: Through chat support, I was told that 'in Japan, it is not normal for general consumers to replace their batteries themselves,' so what is the purpose of this page explaining the battery replacement procedure?
A: This page is an introduction to the battery replacement procedure, and is not intended for customers to carry out the procedure themselves.
In addition, it seems that a special device called a 'battery press' is required to install the battery.
Related Posts:
