While Apple's newest M4 iPad Pro model draws attention with its thinness, it also takes an important step in terms of durability and repairability. A disassembly of the 13-inch tablet conducted by iFixit revealed that the iPad Pro's 38.99Wh battery is easily accessible. This innovation can significantly shorten repair time compared to previous iPad Pro models.
To access the battery, the OLED screen must first be removed. This display is designed as a single OLED board with more layers of electroluminescence on each OLED diode, rather than a combination of two panels. Once the screen is removed, accessing the battery becomes quite simple; just needs to remove the camera mount and deal with the aluminum lip under the battery.
In previous models, every major component had to be removed to get to the battery. However, on the new iPad Pro, this process has been significantly simplified. This way, the risk of damaging other parts of the tablet during battery replacement is reduced.
According to iFixit's review, the thinness of the iPad Pro has led to some components being glued together. This makes it difficult to remove components, especially the tablet's logic board. Additionally, since the speakers are glued, it is inevitable that they will be damaged during removal.
The fact that the 256GB model uses only one NAND storage chip makes the device technically slower. This is a feature also seen in the entry-level storage tier of the M2 MacBook Air. However, this difference is often not noticed by users who do not strain the device.
Apple's 5,299 TL Apple Pencil Pro model does not offer the same ease of repair as the iPad Pro. iFixit's review states that this pen had to be cut with an ultrasonic cutter to get to its battery. During this process, the pen is completely destroyed and reaching its battery is a very troublesome process.
iFixit states that it will conduct a detailed chip ID examination of the MEMS sensor and other components inside the pen. This sensor allows the pen to rotate the art tools on the screen. This process, in which the pen must be destroyed, once again reveals the difficulties in the repairability of Apple's devices.
As a result, while the OLED iPad Pro's progress in battery replacement has improved the overall repairability of the device, there are still challenges in repairing accessories like the Apple Pencil Pro. The design of the new iPad Pro allows users to use their devices efficiently for longer. Apple's steps in this direction aim to extend the user experience and life of the devices.