AirPods 5 Score 2 Out of 10 for Repairability

Apple’s AirPods 5 received a repairability score of 2 out of 10 from iFixit, an improvement over the 0 scores given to earlier AirPods models, according to the company’s teardown. The higher rating reflects a change to removable, pronged batteries in the earbuds, though iFixit found that opening them and accessing the charging case remain difficult. In its examination, iFixit found the AirPods 5 batteries are easier to remove than the soldered batteries used in some earlier models. The pronged design allows a battery to be unplugged, contributing to the higher score. iFixit last found that battery style in the AirPods 3; the AirPods 4 used soldered batteries, according to the reports. The repair process still requires care. iFixit opened the earbuds by heating the adhesive and holding them in a clamp. Once open, the batteries remain secured with adhesive. The left and right earbuds use batteries with reversed polarity and differently positioned prongs, so the battery from one side cannot be installed in the other, iFixit said. The charging case was a substantial obstacle in the teardown.