Apple's newest watches earned only a modest repairability win from iFixit. The Apple Watch Series 12 is slightly easier to service than earlier base models, but both it and the Ultra 4 still make battery repairs a screen-first job.
Here's what to know
According to 9to5Mac, both watches tied with a 4/10 repairability score, but for different reasons. The Apple Watch Ultra 4 kept the same mark as its predecessor because battery service still starts with removing the screen. The Apple Watch Series 12's score put it one point above the last base-model Apple Watch iFixit scored.
On the Ultra 4, iFixit's Shahram Mokhtari found no new route to the battery: the 2.444 watt-hour cell, larger than the Ultra 3's 2.313 Wh pack, remains tucked behind a glued display. The case-bottom screws give access to the back-cover sensor assembly and the S11 chip, not the battery.
The Series 12 did introduce a modest battery-service tweak. Its 1.461 Wh battery, up from 1.403 Wh in the 46mm Series 11, uses stretch-release adhesive and a pull tab to make removal easier.
Getting to that battery is still tricky, though: Mokhtari said the Series 12 has even tighter display tolerances than the Ultra 4, so opening it takes enough force to put the screen at risk.
More background
These watch teardowns were the last part of iFixit's examination of Apple's September releases, providing an early read on how repairable the new devices are.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
Compared with the Ultra 3, the Ultra 4 keeps the same core repair obstacle. The visible screws still don't give rear access to the battery, so a battery swap includes lifting the glued screen and trying not to nick the flex cables underneath.
Inside the Series 12, Apple changed how the display connects. The older ZIF-and-tape setup is gone, replaced by a press connector that can simplify disconnecting the display after the watch is opened.
That simpler connector comes with a catch. Mokhtari said replacing the screen now also requires taking out and reinstalling the battery, adding, "If you've come this far, why wouldn't you?"
What's being done?
The clearest repairability improvement is Apple's new battery removal setup in the Series 12. The added pull tab and stretch-release adhesive do not solve the screen-removal problem, but they do make the battery easier to extract once the watch is open.
Apple also simplified the Series 12 display connection with that press connector, reducing some of the fiddly work inside the case. On the Ultra 4, once the display is freed, battery removal and screen disconnection look fairly direct.
iFixit is also refining the tool side of the equation. In the Ultra 4 teardown, Mokhtari heated the screen first and then used the company's new metal pick.
Where can I learn more?
These stories dig into the same repairability and battery-design issues raised by Apple's latest teardowns. They look at a modular phone built for easier fixes, criticism of Apple's hardware repair limits, new EU battery rules, and two Apple Watch lawsuits.
• A Fairphone design makes common repairs easier than most modern smartphones.
• Apple's AirPods Pro earned a dismal repair rating despite their premium price.
• In the EU, user-replaceable batteries will push phones will push phones toward longer lifespans by 2027.
• Apple faced a lawsuit over carbon-neutral claims tied to an Apple Watch model.
• Apple was hit with a lawsuit over Watch wristbands alleged to contain PFAS.
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
