Screwed

Screenshot from Apple's iPhone 3G Guided Tour.

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Comments

masanti_luis_a says:

Wasn't the "+" signs to increase speaker volume and mike volume?
Apple is doomed!
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

ben- says:

I noticed those, very unapple

they should be torx if anything
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

This is the last thing in the world I'd worry about. The iPhone is becoming a platform. Like the Mac. Macs have exposed screws. Macs have always been opened up, upgraded, hacked, modded, tinkered with... why should potentially easier access for the consumer be complained about?

As far as aesthetics, Apple has arguably used the screws on, say, MacBook Pros to compliment the exterior appearance. The screws are finished in the same way the power button is.

The screws in the above photo are certainly a lot less ugly than the giant dock/cable port.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

Matt Crest says:

Maybe this means there's potential to replace the battery yourself. That would be ideal.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

Ron Domingue says:

Maybe you can replace the speakers with 18" woofers?
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

Eric Schreiber says:

I'm not sure how I feel about the screws but the new speaker grills are very attractive. I like the silver mesh lining, it would look good as a speaker grill on a MacBook Pro redesign.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

Blueberry Pony says:

Screws. Excellent! This is a very good thing. With screws like these, finally those of us who are capable, can repair our devices for continued life where possible without needing to crack open the case in obscure or difficult ways. Surely it helps Apple too with their battery replacement service. Hopefully the battery has a nice simple interface for easy replacement, like a ribbon cable or similar, avoiding soldering. :)
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

deedas says:

With a plastic back, you can no longer glue/wedge (whatever they used before.) the back and have the battery replaced without damaging the aesthetics. Screws are only logical.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

davidmccabe says:

Sorry folks, but the screws are just decorative.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

JL! says:

Yeah, it turns out they only needed one screw, and they added the second one to balance it out.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

JGowan says:

First thing I'm doing is getting a Sharpie after those things. Why they didn't use black screws to begin with is a mystery.

The only thing I can think that they've done this for is for replaceable batteries. It'll be one of those "just one more thing" that we get on Launch day. Apple stands to make millions on batteries alone as people spend extra money to trick out their new 3G phone.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

David Chartier says:

I'm thinking easier in-store support for people who just gotta get their phone back ASAP, and possibly a half-answer to the demand for user-replaceable batteries. It's not a slide on/off battery cover, but maybe with these two screws it can be done in reasonable time.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

Jeremy Ricketts says:

STEP ONE:
Remove screws on either side of the docking port on the bottom of your iPhone.

STEP TWO:
Plug in your new [[insert 3rd part expansion hardware here]] into the docking port.

STEP THREE:
Tighten the screws on the side of your [[insert 3rd part expansion hardware here]] so it is fastened securely to the bottom of your iPhone.

STEP FOUR:
Enjoy your new [[insert 3rd part expansion hardware here]] !
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

bmonzing says:

I think the screws make the device more human, thus, more approachable by the masses. Those afraid to adopt Apple technology for fear of its alien origin, will be won over by this thoughtfully timed detail. They'll sell 40 million, easy.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

soldierant says:

@Jeremy Ricketts … um, dude "There is no step three!" Didn't you get the memo?
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

iboi says:

@JL!:
You might be right. The MacBook case has an extra screw on one side just for esthetic purposes.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

raminf says:

User-replaceable batteries?

Yeah, didn't think so.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

michaelb1 says:

Doubley screwed.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

Riccardo Mori says:

But, are they recessed? Will I need a special adapter for my jeweller's screwdriver, or can I use it without problems? Belkin? Griffin? (gasps for air).
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

eduo says:

Quite a feat if they manage to leave the crosses of the screws aligned like that. Double if they make it so they stay aligned after servicing/unscrewing.

Of course, this means the classic unboxing pr0n now will have an additional set of pics of "This is what you see when you remove the screws and wiggle"
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

Alastair J says:

Interesting. The old phones looked (and were) quite difficult to crack apart, and probably contributed to a significant amount of repair time, and potentially replacement parts where warping occurred due to the nature of cracking open. This will be a move to reduce Apple's service overheads?
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

kaysha says:

it's just screws
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

jdandrea says:

Finally! They even put them in a (comparatively) rarely seen spot. That _is_ like Apple.

I, for one, welcome our screw-visible iPhone 3G overlords.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

Rob Speed says:

"I noticed those, very unapple"

*looks down at MacBook Pro… counts 14 exposed screw-heads*

"they should be torx if anything"

Agreed, but Apple has a tendency to use Philips for very small finishing screws.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

garrettmurray says:

It's possible Apple is using these screws for signal strength boosting. They're near the bottom (where the antenna for the current iPhone is), and they're really good about combining a bunch of things to improve signal. This could just be an added little bonus.

Then again, I'm no engineer.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

onebee says:

I heard one iPhone came off the line with the screw heads not oriented perfectly parallel like in the picture and Jobs punched a guy.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

adjective-c says:

Pro Tip: Having a strong opinion on this matter may be a sign that you are awful.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

Trevandjen says:

Philips screw heads are a plus!
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

luismenendez7 says:

I noticed the same thing on my car.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

amacedo says:

These are fake
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

Superbaka says:

Each time you turn the screw, it makes Steve Jobs cry.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

doggo says:

Those aren't screws. Those are the vertical and horizontal hold controls.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

Wes Vasher says:

Customer calls Apple tech support...

Tech: "Okay Sir, first we need to figure out which version of iPhone you have... can you look under it to see if their are screws by the dock connector?"

Customer: "What's a dock connector?"
Posted 17 months ago. ( permalink )

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