Apple released the iPhone 14 series of smartphones last year, including four models: iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max. Among them, the 5.4-inch mini models of the past two generations were replaced by the iPhone 14 Plus, and the new lineup consists of two 6.1-inch and two 6.7-inch models.
Recently, Richard Dinh, Apple’s senior director of iPhone product design, accepted an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald and talked about the design of the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus models. Apple has used different internal designs on the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus, though both are easier to disassemble and repair.
Image: iFixit
Before this, if you want to repair the iPhone, you need to carefully remove the screen first. This is due to the fact that since the introduction of wireless charging in the iPhone 8, the glass back cover is fixed on the metal chassis, which undoubtedly brings difficulty to disassembly. The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus have changed from the previous design and are equipped with a detachable back glass panel to make smartphone maintenance more convenient. This is also the first iPhone model that can be opened from the front and back of the device since the iPhone 4S.
According to Richard Dinh, this new structure, with its central aluminum frame, helps to dissipate more heat over the entire surface. The design also introduces Apple’s first four-sided stacked main logic board, which condenses all components into a smaller space and allows access to the logic board from any side, improving serviceability and making device repairs easier and more convenient.
Some professionals pointed out that the new design of the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus not only improves the disassembly process and improves heat dissipation efficiency, but this change in internal structure also brings additional available upgrade space, and larger components, such as camera modules, can be added in the future. However, this change has not yet been extended to the higher-end iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max models, which can still only be opened from the front.
