Here’s Why AirPods Pro 3 Are ‘Not Repairable’
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If you’re an Apple user, few headphones are better suited for your devices than AirPods. AirPods sync with all your Apple devices, sound great, and feature features like Live Translate and even a heart rate monitor. However, problems arise when something goes wrong with the earbuds, especially when the battery starts to drain. Unlike an iPhone, whose battery is easily replaced, AirPods aren’t easily repaired. In some cases, repair may even be impossible.
It seems the situation hasn’t changed with Apple’s latest earbuds, the AirPods Pro 3. iFixit specialists conducted a teardown test on the newest AirPods Pro to check their repairability. The result? 0 out of 10: completely unrepairable.
AirPods Pro 3 cannot be repaired
The AirPods Pro 3 design has a number of issues, which led to iFixit’s report. The main one is that Apple chose to seal the entire case with a strong adhesive. To open the earbuds, they must be heated to weaken the adhesive, then pryed off with sharp objects. It’s important not to melt the plastic of the earbuds themselves or damage the case while opening it. This is a complex process.
However, the problems only continue inside. The battery is also held in place by a strong adhesive, requiring you to heat it again without melting the earbud itself. Even if you successfully remove the battery, it’s extremely difficult to put everything back together—or, heaven forbid, try to replace one if it breaks. Apple designed these earbuds to pack a ton of technology into a tiny package, using both adhesive and soldering, meaning you risk damaging important components when moving them. It’s all too easy to accidentally damage the microphones or noise-canceling system.
The same goes for the earbud housings and even the AirPods Pro 3 case: both are completely glued and too easily damaged when attempting to open or repair any component. Furthermore, iFixit claims that this “repair” is so complex that many repair shops won’t even attempt it. Due to the need for specialized tools and the risk of damage, they simply refuse to repair AirPods.
This isn’t new for AirPods. According to iFixit, all previous models of Apple Bluetooth headphones have suffered from the same issue. Oddly enough, all AirPods models, except for the AirPods Max, received a 0 out of 10 rating on iFixit’s scale.
Are there any headphones that can be repaired?
While many other brands of in-ear headphones score higher on the repairability scale, many aren’t significantly better than AirPods. Scroll through iFixit’s list and you’ll find other scores ranging from zero to three out of 10. It seems many companies are following Apple’s lead and soldering batteries and other components with adhesive.
However, according to iFixit, there are some winners. The clear winner is the Fairphone Fairbuds, which received a perfect score of 10 out of 10. The batteries are easily replaced, the modular case is easy to disassemble, and Fairphone provides replacement parts and instructions. The Samsung Galaxy Buds Live come in second with a score of 8 out of 10: they are just as repairable as the Fairbuds, but they don’t have official repair instructions or parts other than the batteries. The Sony WF-1000XM4 earbuds received a respectable 7 out of 10, as their batteries are also easily replaced thanks to their modular case, although they don’t include official parts or instructions.
If repairability is your top priority when buying headphones, you have options. If you want the best Apple experience, AirPods are still the best choice. Just remember that if something fails, like the battery or another component, your Apple headphones will be in disrepair.