iFixit Gives Both New Apple Watches 4/10 for Repairability

iFixit gave Apple’s new Watch Series 12 and Watch Ultra 4 each a repairability score of 4 out of 10 after dismantling the devices, finding a modest improvement in the standard model but no change in the Ultra. The assessments underscore a shared obstacle: accessing either watch’s battery requires removing its glued display, a step that can damage the screen or its cables. The Series 12 scored one point higher than the previous base-model Apple Watch iFixit assessed. The repair site credited a stretch-release adhesive pull tab that makes the battery easier to remove, along with a simpler press connector replacing the earlier ZIF connector and tape. iFixit’s score remains its own evaluation, rather than an independent repair test. The connector change carries a tradeoff, iFixit said: replacing the Series 12 screen now also requires removing the battery. And reaching either the battery or other internal components still starts with heating and prying up the display. The fragile cables beneath it can be cut during that process, according to the teardown findings. The Ultra 4 received the same 4-out-of-10 rating as its predecessor.