In a video posted to YouTube, the host says that “accessing the inside of an iPad has always required three things: heat, prying, and hope.” That doesn't mean it's impossible, though. Naturally, iFixIt sells a range of tools to help DIY repair enthusiasts take apart electronics, and the latest iPad Air is no exception. But it's still tricky.
The main issue is the “strong” adhesive that attaches the display to the chassis, which requires careful and determined prying to separate, especially around the “tricky edges” of the tablet. As a result, the display-to-chassis bond should be solid, but it will take some effort if you need to access the inside.
“It wouldn't have been easy to get into and it's easy to imagine this would result in expensive collateral damage a few years down the line when the battery needs replacing,” the presenter commented.
The teardown video (embedded above) details the removal of not only the battery but also the logic board and other components, and in doing so reveals speakers that are much larger and much thinner than in previous iPad Airs, as well as being integral to the iPad Pro. The speakers are integrated into the chassis with driver magnets that are firmly attached.
Apple's latest iPad Air received a pretty poor repairability score of 3 out of 10. Part of the reason for the low score is the lack of official documentation from Apple on how users can attempt DIY repairs, as well as Apple's history of providing spare parts.
Looking at previous iPad tablets, this isn't surprising: Apple has never designed these devices to be DIY-repair friendly, and the iPad Air 6 is no different.