The Unauthorized Guide to iPhone, iPad, and iPod Repair (2013)

---

10. Use the tip of a spudger to disconnect the cellular data antenna cable connector from the logic board. The “button” connector is covered with a tiny square of felt. (See Figure 7.14.)

FIGURE 7.14 Disconnecting the cellular data antenna.

11. Remove the two Phillips screws (see Figure 7.15) and then use your fingers or tweezers to lift the top logic board bracket off the rear case. Take note of the component’s orientation to make reassembly faster.

FIGURE 7.15 Removing the top logic board bracket.

12. Now you can work on disconnecting the myriad logic board cables. The iPhone 5 features two interconnect cables that use the same “button”-type connector head that you saw earlier with the cellular data antenna cable connector. (See Figure 7.16.)

FIGURE 7.16 Disconnecting the primary logic board cables.

13. Tilt the iPhone 5 chassis 90 degrees to reveal two additional Phillips screws as shown in Figure 7.17. Remove the two screws that hold the logic board to the rear case.

FIGURE 7.17 Removing two more screws that hold the logic board in place.

14. Remove the single Phillips screw that holds down the logic board bracket, and then use your fingers or a pair of tweezers to remove the mid-section logic board bracket itself, as shown in Figure 7.18. (Why do you think Apple includes so many of these metal-covering brackets in the iPhone 5? Do they serve a conductive purpose, a protective purpose, or both?)

FIGURE 7.18 Removing the mid-section logic board bracket.

15. Whoops—you don’t want to forget about the dadgum SIM card! Use a SIM card eject tool or a bent paper clip to eject the SIM card tray. You may remove the SIM card from the tray if you desire. (See Figure 7.19.)

FIGURE 7.19 Removing the SIM tray and SIM card from the iPhone 5.

16. You are almost ready to remove the logic board. First, remove the final set of five screws that secure the logic board to the rear case. As you can see in Figure 7.20, there are two types of screws at play here. The standoff screws are best approached with a small-gauge (2.5mm) flathead screwdriver.

FIGURE 7.20 Removing the Phillips and standoff screws that hold the logic board to the rear case.

17. Grasp the bottom portion of logic board and wiggle it to unseat it from the rear case. (See Figure 7.21.) Be mindful of the Wi-Fi antenna cable that is connected on the underside of the logic board.

FIGURE 7.21 Removing the logic board.

18. Use the tip of the spudger to gently pry the Wi-Fi antenna cable connector from its socket located on the underside of the logic board. (See Figure 7.22.)

FIGURE 7.22 Disconnecting the Wi-Fi antenna cable from the logic board.

While you are here, take a look at the new Lightning connector assembly. A total of seven screws hold this monstrosity in place. (See Figure 7.23.)

FIGURE 7.23 The Lightning connector assembly.

What is important to note here is that this single, monolithic component contains not only the Lightning connector, but also the headphone jack and loudspeaker. This is bad news for us DIY’ers, as we need to purchase the entire assembly to replace an individual component.

Reassembly Notes

As I’m sure you observed, the interior of the iPhone 5 is filled with metal-to-metal contact points. Please keep in mind the best practices to avoid transferring finger oils to these components and creating unintentional electrical shorts and/or interference.

Don’t worry too much if you need to deform the battery a bit during extraction. I was amazed at how much glue Apple used to secure it to the chassis. Simply flatten out the battery as best as you can prior to re-seating it in the rear case.

As discussed previously, the iPhone 5 includes a plethora of small metal connector brackets. Be sure to note their original orientation during disassembly to reduce or eliminate confusion during reassembly.

On Material Costs and Profit Margins

Market research companies like iSuppli (isuppli.com) take it upon themselves to disassemble electronic devices, source the vendor’s cost for each and every component, and then compare the bill of materials (BOM) price to the unit’s actual retail price.

According to iSuppli’s September 18, 2012 press release (http://is.gd/KVvHoS), the iPhone 5 carries a $199 BOM. Stated simply, it costs Apple approximately $200 to produce an iPhone.

iSuppli tempers their data somewhat by stating that their iDevice disassemblies and cost estimates are “preliminary in nature, [and]account only for hardware and manufacturing costs and do not include other expenses such as software, licensing, royalties or other expenditures...” (source:http://is.gd/vXu2wp).

Now, compare that BOM figure with the list price for the 16GB iPhone 5 both with and without a cellular contract.

Price without a contract (unlocked phone): $649

Price with a contract: $199

Because you can reasonably assume that the vast majority of iPhone 5 customers buy the phone along with a contract (what good is a phone without a cellular provider, after all?), you must ask the question, “How does Apple make money if they break even on the iDevice cost?”

A ha...I’m glad you asked. Let’s scratch the surface of this fascinating subject by listing a mere portion of Apple’s myriad revenue streams for the iPhone 5:

Apple charges accessory vendors a licensing fee.

Apple earns a “cut” of every iOS app purchase in the Apple App Store.

Apple earns a “cut” from every song, ringtone, audiobook, and so on sold in the iTunes Store.

Apple makes money on its AppleCare warranty program.

Apple sells its own accessories (Lightning adapters, for instance).

The aforementioned list is not comprehensive by any means. The bottom line is that Apple is able to offset the material cost of the iPhone 5’s hardware by making a financial “killing” with related hardware, software, and license deals. The customer expenditures surrounding the iPhone 5’s hardware seem to be where Apple derives its profit margin for this device.

Now don’t you wish you owned a nice chunk of Apple stock?