Tiny ribbon cables attach the Lightning connector assembly to the microphones, which are firmly adhered to the speaker grilles.

As predicted, the speaker grilles have ingress protection to keep the internals nice and dry.

And in case you haven't noticed, this Lightning connector assembly is huge! Like previous generations, it is moderately adhered and readily removed from the rear case.

This cable assembly also features the most substantial gasketing we've seen on a Lightning connector. While last year's models used foam adhesive to keep out water and dust, this one features a full-on rubber gasket, capable of holding back a 50 meter column of water.