iFixit teardown says the watch is difficult to repair

I was determined to buy the Apple Watch Series 10 even before Apple introduced it. I was ready to upgrade from the Apple Watch SE 2, which has served me so well over the past few years, for two reasons. First, I wanted to take advantage of the improved health monitoring features of a high-end model. But more importantly, I needed an Apple Watch with a brand new battery so it could last a full marathon. My Apple Watch SE 2 battery health dropped below 80%, meaning it was due for a replacement.

Also remember that the Apple Watch Series 10 has even faster battery charging than any other model.

Knowing Apple, I had no expectations of improving battery life. I expected the Apple Watch Series 10 to have the same estimated 18-hour battery life as all other models. That’s what Apple did. But the actual battery life of the Apple Watch Series 10 blew me away.

With the Apple Watch Series 10 I regularly achieve a battery life of 30 to 36 hours. This includes sleep and fitness tracking. The only thing I did to account for the longer battery life is turning off the always-on display.

This battery life surprise has already made me realize that the Apple Watch Series 10 might be the kind of device to repair rather than replace when the battery health starts to fail. But then iFixit’s teardown was released, showing that the brand new Apple Watch won’t be easy to repair.

When I saw my Apple Watch SE 2 battery health deteriorating, I knew the best option would be to replace it with a stock model. I would get the better health monitoring feature, the faster processor, and a new battery in a single package.

But with the 10 series, there’s a chance I’ll have to get the battery serviced in two years. Even if I switch to the 12 series, the 10 series could serve someone else in my family.

I would never attempt to repair an iPhone or Apple Watch myself because I simply lack the expertise to do so. Yes, Apple can provide manuals and tools, but I don’t have the experience to do so yet. But the above teardown from iFixit proves that replacing the Apple Watch Series 10 battery is an incredibly difficult task.

Dismantling the wearable is not easy because you have to remove the display, which is held in place with a lot of glue. The 327 mAh (1,266 Wh) battery itself is also glued to the frame. There is no “electric glue” like Apple introduced with the iPhone 16 models. In addition, like previous models, the battery comes in a soft case, not metal. The iPhone 16 Pro has a battery with a metal case.

Repairing the lower sensors that sit under the battery would be even more difficult, although I don’t expect these components to be damaged with regular use. iFixit’s teardown also gives us a look at the new OLED panel, which appears to be almost identical to the one on the Series 9.

More interesting are the CT scans, which show how surprisingly tightly built the wearable is. Remember that Apple has slightly reduced the size of the Series 10 compared to its predecessor, while also increasing the size of the screen.

Back to my battery thoughts: The only way to replace the Apple Watch Series 10 battery would be at an Apple Store. But even then, I’m sure it will take a lot of time for an experienced technician to take the watch apart, put in a new battery and put it back together.

Luckily, I don’t expect any battery problems with the Apple Watch Series 10 in the next few years. Instead, I’ll enjoy the great battery life for as long as possible before thinking about my next watch.

iFixit gives the Apple Watch Series 10 a repairability rating of 3 out of 10, reflecting the difficult repair work expected for the wearable. Check out the clip below.