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What's that in your shiny new Apple Watch?
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Second-generation OLED Retina display with Force Touch
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Custom-designed Apple S3 SiP (System in Package)
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Optional LTE and UMTS, built in GPS/GLONASS + NFC + Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n 2.4 GHz + Bluetooth 4.2
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Accelerometer + gyroscope + heart rate sensor + microphone + speaker + barometric altimeter + ambient light sensor
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Water resistance rating (up to 50 meters)
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WatchOS 4
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Before we get inside, put on your X-ray glasses for a sneak peek.
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While the overall layout is fairly unchanged from the original Apple Watch we tore down and X-rayed in 2015, it looks like there may be a few extra solder pads under the speaker (top right of this image).
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Time for a quick check of the back to make sure we bought the right watch.
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Yep, this here is an Apple Watch Series 3, the most exclusive and top of the line Apple wrist computer, offering unparalleled computing power and fashion for the next 51 weeks.
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Next to that secret diagnostic port we picked out a new model number: A1889.
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crwdns2935267:0crwdne2935267:0iOpener$19.99-
This watch's time has come. Since its form factor remains unchanged, we're hoping our standard opening technique still applies.
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Summation: heat and slice. Slow and steady. Do not be distracted by the hypnotic red dot staring back at you.
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Aside from that
status symbolred dot, we'd almost be convinced we're opening a Series 2 again. This looks eerily familiar.
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Cables de-ZIF'd, we're clear to get a look at the display.
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Spec-wise, the display is unchanged from the Series 2, with one key difference—it now functions as a multifrequency (LTE?) antenna.
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This display has one fewer IC than last year. Probably wasn't important.
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Analog Devices 343S00092 touch controller
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NXP Semiconductor PN80V NFC module
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Texas Instruments TPS36372 display power management (likely)
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Empty solder pad (20211CP TD1628A goes here?)
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crwdns2935267:0crwdne2935267:0Mako Driver Kit - 64 Precision Bits$39.95-
As in the prior version, further access is barred by a tiny tri-point screw—one of 64 possible contingencies we've come prepared for.
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The top third of the watch is labeled "Taptic Engine," and that's mostly true—but the label also hides a bracket that guards, among other things, the battery connector we're searching for.
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Time to pick away the power pack and see what gives this watch its all-day go-juice.
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While the iPhone's battery continues to shrink in capacity, Apple's watch battery has been subtly pumped up:
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The Series 3 battery, designated A1848, packs in 1.07 Whr (279 mAh at 3.82 V).
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That's nearly a 4% increase from the 1.03 Whr battery we found in the Series 2—which itself was a whopping 32% increase over the original Apple Watch's 0.78 Whr cell.
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So far so good. We pull out the standard Force Touch sensor/gasket, equipped with the same Analog Devices AD7149 capacitance sensor controller that we found in the Series 2.
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Continuing our parts-picking spree, we pluck out the Taptic Engine, seemingly unchanged from watches yore.
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Then out pops the antenna array, including what we believe to be the GPS antenna.
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The plucking continues, as we remove the self-emptying speaker, designed to sonically blast out water after your watch takes a dip.
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After an entirely Series 2-ish experience, we're finally rewarded with something new—a whole new section of RF chips, surely responsible for handling the added LTE functionality.
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In another new twist, the air vent hole next to the microphone is now populated by what looks like a barometric pressure sensor.
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Time to pull this board!
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Did you guys hear that you can surf with this silicon? Let's see who's in this lineup:
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ST Microelectronics ST33G1M2 32 bit MCU with ARM SecurCore SC300
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Avago AFEM-8057 Wi-Fi front-end module?
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Skyworks SKY78109-12 power amplifier module
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FY LEE C7P Bosch gyro + accelerometer, STMicroelectronics pressure sensor and unknown MEMS microphone
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FF1A02 (envelope module likely)
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USI 339M00035 RF transceiver module
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Last call: back cover. It's press-fit over a teflon-like O-ring, but a thumbs-up and a firm push relieves it of duty.
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The material has been standardized across watch models and souped up to snazzy ceramic, replacing the previous Ion-X or Sapphire options.
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It also houses the PPG sensor array that is responsible for sensing heart rate.
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It would've been cool to see some change from the Series 2 after complaints about accuracy in previous models. As far as wearables go, however, the Apple Watch is the best of the bad.
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Also it appears that the wireless charging coil has been slightly modified to support most Qi wireless chargers.
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Lastly, with the new barometric altimeter taking the spot next to the microphone, where did the air vent go? Answer: hiding out right here, next to the diagnostic port.
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Here's all the
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Final big thanks to Circuitwise for giving up a bit of their weekend to help us out!
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And thanks again to Creative Electron for putting the X(-ray) in "excellent!"
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- Watch band replacements remain fast and simple.
- Screen replacements are difficult but do-able—it's the first thing to come off, and detaches via simple ZIF connectors.
- Battery replacements are tricky but fairly straightforward once you're inside, provided you're armed with a Y000 screwdriver.
- While not proprietary, incredibly tiny tri-point screws are a repair hinderance.
- Replacing any of the component cables requires microsoldering.
- The mostly resin-encased S3 system makes most board-level repairs impossible.
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Great ! I was waiting for this since the day it was shown at the launch ! First to comment as well I guess
is the rear housing the same as the series 2 as well?
during the announcement, they claimed the watch was made a little thicker.
What’s the purpose of the air vent that began with Series 2? It’s clearly not for barometric readings since Series 2 lacked a barometric altimeter.
Not sure of I didn't See a barometer at the Apple Watch
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does apple tv 4k teardown coming soon? i am curious about power supply voltage and ampere. nice btw.