Gadgetory

the iPhone 5c has the same processor rear camera and retina display as last year's iPhone 5 but Apple didn't just slap a series of colorful plastic cases on an old phone on the inside the 5c is a new device with hardware upgrades and design elements from both the five and the new 5s I'm Bill Detweiler and this is cracking open on the outside it's the iPhone 5cs colorful polycarbonate cases that really set the phone apart from the 5 and the 5s and thanks to this case it's also slightly longer wider thicker and a bit heavier than the other two phones but peel back the case and the 5c reveals itself to be a unique device which borrows traits from both the other phones now one thing that all three phones share is how you crack them open using a special pentalobe screwdriver remove the two external screws then using a suction cup lift up on the front panel and display assembly from the bottom you may also need to use a few thin tools to pop loose the panel unlike the new 5s there's no ribbon cable connecting the home button to the lower connector assembly just a series of connectors at the top and once you detach them you can completely remove the panel the 5c shares the same general hardware layout as the iPhone 5 and 5s but there are both differences and similarities now first the 5c has a slightly higher capacity battery than the 5 but a lower capacity battery than the 5s and like the 5s it lacks the battery removal pull tab found on the 5a second the 5 C's camera is covered with a metal bracket the 5 has no bracket and the 5s is camera is covered with a rubber flap a third while the 5c may have the same a6 processor as last year's iPhone 5 the main system board has the same general design as the 5s notice the connector and metal shields layout one bit of 5c hardware that is more like its counterpart on the 5 than the 5s is the external speaker and lower connector assembly now this isn't surprising given the 5s is new fingerprint reading home-button I'm turning our attention to the front panel assembly all three phones have the same Retina display but like the 5s the 5c has an upgraded FaceTime camera and redesigned screen connectors the home button and it's pressure contacts are more like those on the iPhone 5 as I did during my iPhone 5s teardown I'm going to leave the battery in place as I remove the other components I am however going to disconnect it from the main system board before doing anything else now with the battery safely disconnected I'm going to detach the remaining mainboard connectors remove several screws and standoffs and finally lift out the board now unfortunately like the boards in the 5 and 5s the EMI RFI shields are soldered in place as I want to put this phone back together in working order I'll need to leave the shields alone next to come out is the 8 megapixel rear facing camera unfortunately the external speaker lightning connector and headphone jack are all part of the same component assembly and like the vibration motor flash and a bevy of connector wires running throughout the case they're held in place with both screws and adhesive if any of these components were damaged removing and replacing them is possible but I don't want to risk damaging them during removal so I'm going to leave them in place I'm glad Apple took the opportunity to not just give the iPhone 5c a new case but also upgrade the phone's hardware and tweak its internal design and while it's still no walk in the park to crack open the 5c is no more difficult to work on than either the 5 or the 5s now for a complete list of specs pricing and real-world performance tests check out Scott Stein's full CNET review and to see more tear down photos and read my full hardware analysis go to TechRepublic calm toward / cracking open I'm bill Detweiler thanks for watching