SPECIFICATION
Apple iPad
Pro 12.9 - Specification - Disassembling procedure - Components - Tablets
repair and service.
1. Fully
laminated, 12.9" Multi-Touch LCD with a 2,732 × 2,048 resolution
at 264 ppi and antireflective coating
3rd generation 64-bit A9X chip paired with M9 motion coprocessor Self-balancing, four-speaker audio
3rd generation 64-bit A9X chip paired with M9 motion coprocessor Self-balancing, four-speaker audio
2.
8-megapixel 1080p rear-facing iSight camera + 1.2-megapixel 720p
front-facing FaceTime HD camera
3. 802.11a/b/g/n/ac MIMO Wi-Fi + Bluetooth 4.2
4. Touch ID fingerprint sensor + 3- axis gyro + accelerometer + barometer + ambient light sensor
5. 32 GB or 128 GB on-board storage
3. 802.11a/b/g/n/ac MIMO Wi-Fi + Bluetooth 4.2
4. Touch ID fingerprint sensor + 3- axis gyro + accelerometer + barometer + ambient light sensor
5. 32 GB or 128 GB on-board storage
Peeking along
the edge of the iPad, we spot a new accessory port - Apple's Smart Connector -
making its debut appearance.
The Smart Connector supports Apple's own Smart Keyboard as well as third-party accessories that transfer power and data, like keyboards and docking stations.
On the bottom edge, two of the four speakers in the highly touted speaker array live on either side of a now-familiar Lightning Connector.
The Smart Connector supports Apple's own Smart Keyboard as well as third-party accessories that transfer power and data, like keyboards and docking stations.
On the bottom edge, two of the four speakers in the highly touted speaker array live on either side of a now-familiar Lightning Connector.
After a
little heat-to-heat, with an opening picks and heavy duty suction cup to open
the conversation.
DISASSEMBLING
PROCEDURE
The Pro's display is packing the same adhesive as its smaller counterparts - it's tough and there's way too much - but it's still no match for our seasoned teardown hands.
With the adhesive finally out of the way, we get our first glimpse of the Pro's interior.
The Pro's display is packing the same adhesive as its smaller counterparts - it's tough and there's way too much - but it's still no match for our seasoned teardown hands.
With the adhesive finally out of the way, we get our first glimpse of the Pro's interior.
Now to remove
that display
With the
logic board situated in the center of the iPad, the display cables connect in
the very middle of the device, so you can't even lay the display down while we
work.
Instead, you first have to support the weight of the display while removing the screws that secure the display cable bracket.On the back of the display, you will find the following.
Instead, you first have to support the weight of the display while removing the screws that secure the display cable bracket.On the back of the display, you will find the following.
2 × Broadcom
BCM15900B0
NXP Semiconductors 8416A1 Touch ID Sensor
Parade Technologies DP695 Timing Controller
Apple says this is an iteration of the DP665 LCD timing controller found in the iMac Retina
5K, modified to support the display's variable refresh rate.
Texas Instruments TPS65144 (Likely an iteration of the TPS65143A LCD Bias found in the Air 2)
NXP Semiconductors 8416A1 Touch ID Sensor
Parade Technologies DP695 Timing Controller
Apple says this is an iteration of the DP665 LCD timing controller found in the iMac Retina
5K, modified to support the display's variable refresh rate.
Texas Instruments TPS65144 (Likely an iteration of the TPS65143A LCD Bias found in the Air 2)
A logic board
relocation isn't the only easily-recognized layout difference between the iPad
Pro and previous iPads. While the iPad Air 2's interior real estate was
dominated by a proportionately massive battery, the iPad Pro dedicates a
significant amount of room to speaker enclosures.
It appears
that the Pro's self-balancing, four-speaker audio comes at the cost of battery
capacity. Based on our measurements, the speaker enclosures occupy about half
as much space as the battery.
That's space that could have potentially been used for an extra 50% battery capacity. Its sure Apple was very careful setting the balance between battery capacity, weight, and sound quality.
That's space that could have potentially been used for an extra 50% battery capacity. Its sure Apple was very careful setting the balance between battery capacity, weight, and sound quality.
Next,
lend a hand to the FaceTime HD (left) and iSight cameras, which are
trapped behind a bracket.While just about everything in this tablet has been
billed as bigger and better than previous devices, these cameras seem to
be the same as those found in the iPad Air 2.
For those of you
keeping score: the rear-facing camera captures the same 8 MP images and 1080p
video at 30 fps, while the front-facing selfie cam shoots identical 1.2 MP
images and 720p video.
Here's a
first in iPad history: we have to remove the logic board's EMI shielding to
remove the logic board itself.
This
shielding not only protects the logic board from interference, but also hides
cable connectors and secures the logic board to the rear case.
As you
continue to mine deeper into this iPad Pro, the next Balrog component you find
is the headphone jack.
Just like the
3.5 mm jack in the iPad Air 2, the ribbon cable on this headphone jack harbors
one of the Pro's two front-facing ambient light sensors.
Finally, you
get to (one of) the highly anticipated self-balancing speaker drivers. Yes,
speaker drivers. The whole speaker consists of the driver and its capped
resonance chamber.
Although
these speakers share a common design, their function changes depending on the
tablet's orientation. Whether in portrait or landscape mode, the Pro always
sends higher frequencies to the topmost speakers to produce a more balanced
sound.
The speakers
are nice, but what makes them really sing are the fancy back volume chambers,
machined directly into the unibody enclosure.
Apple claims
that this new design provides up to three times more output than previous iPad
models.
After removing the carbon fiber caps, you will find the enclosures are filled with foam. On Your way to the logic board, you stop to smell the flowers antennas.
After removing the carbon fiber caps, you will find the enclosures are filled with foam. On Your way to the logic board, you stop to smell the flowers antennas.
Just like the
iPad Air 2, the Pro's two antennas use MIMO technology to provide 802.11ac
Wi-Fi speeds of up to 866 Mbps, and LTE speeds of up to 150 Mbps
There are
just a few things left standing between us and the logic board.
A bit of deft
spudgering frees the remaining speaker connectors, and a flex cable that
appears to run beneath the left battery cell to drive the Smart Connector
contacts.
At long last we've extracted the logic board - and its (sadly) soldered on Lightning connector
At long last we've extracted the logic board - and its (sadly) soldered on Lightning connector
The logic board
contains the following
1. Apple
APL1021 A9X 64-bit Processor
2. SK
Hynix H9HCNNNBTUMLNR-NLH 16 Gb (2 GB) LPDDR4 RAM (2 GB × 2 = 4 GB total)
3. Toshiba THGBX5G8D4KLDXG 32 GB NAND Flash
4. InvenSense MP67B 6-axis Gyroscope and Accelerometer Combo
5. NXP 65V10 NFC Controller (also found in the iPhone 6/6 Plus, as well as Nexus 5X and 6P marked NXP 54802)
6. NXP Semiconductors LPC11U37 ARM Cortex-M0 Microcontroller
7. Apple (Cirrus Logic) 338S1213 Audio Codec.
3. Toshiba THGBX5G8D4KLDXG 32 GB NAND Flash
4. InvenSense MP67B 6-axis Gyroscope and Accelerometer Combo
5. NXP 65V10 NFC Controller (also found in the iPhone 6/6 Plus, as well as Nexus 5X and 6P marked NXP 54802)
6. NXP Semiconductors LPC11U37 ARM Cortex-M0 Microcontroller
7. Apple (Cirrus Logic) 338S1213 Audio Codec.
Even more
chips on the logic board:
Fresco Logic
FL1100SX 2-port USB 3.0 Host Controller
Universal Scientific Industrial 339S00045 Wi-Fi Module
NXP 1610A3 (also found in iPhone 6s/6s Plus, likely an iteration of the 1610A1 found in the iPad Mini 4)
Dialog Semiconductor 343S00025-A1
Dialog Semiconductor 343S00052-A1
Maxim Integrated MAX98721CEWV (likely an iteration of the MAX98721BEWV found in the iPad Air 2)
Fairchild Semiconductor FDMC 6683 power management chipThese new pull tabs are even cooler than their iPhone counterparts; there's no need to worry about tweezer grip or stubby fingers - these tabs have a handy spudger hole.
Universal Scientific Industrial 339S00045 Wi-Fi Module
NXP 1610A3 (also found in iPhone 6s/6s Plus, likely an iteration of the 1610A1 found in the iPad Mini 4)
Dialog Semiconductor 343S00025-A1
Dialog Semiconductor 343S00052-A1
Maxim Integrated MAX98721CEWV (likely an iteration of the MAX98721BEWV found in the iPad Air 2)
Fairchild Semiconductor FDMC 6683 power management chipThese new pull tabs are even cooler than their iPhone counterparts; there's no need to worry about tweezer grip or stubby fingers - these tabs have a handy spudger hole.
You will
have so much fun pulling out these adhesive tabs that you thought you
would include a video.
And unlike on
iPhones where you only get two or three tabs to tug, the iPad Pro comes with
eight.
Thanks to
those pull tabs, the battery is freed with ease.
The iPad
Pro's 3.77 V battery weighs in at an impressive 10307 mAh.
This prodigious, 38.8 Wh power source offers a 40 percent increase over the 27.62 Wh battery in the iPad Air 2, but just barely edges out the 38.2 Wh battery we found in the Surface Pro 4.The last component You will try to remove on the road to teardown glory is the Smart Connector port cable.
This prodigious, 38.8 Wh power source offers a 40 percent increase over the 27.62 Wh battery in the iPad Air 2, but just barely edges out the 38.2 Wh battery we found in the Surface Pro 4.The last component You will try to remove on the road to teardown glory is the Smart Connector port cable.