Unremovable iPhone 4 screws

Apple iPhone - Unremovable iPhone 4 screws

An iPhone 4 pentalobe screwdriver costs $9.95 from iFixit.

iPhone Battery
The screwdriver that iFixit sells works, but it isn't an exact fit. I hope that a correct fitting one will be out soon. You can use the iFixit kit but be aware that you must be very careful to avoid stripping the screw head.

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you can also use the a philips screwdriver actually the same one for the 3g 3gs and 4 original screws. It will work before we got our pentalobe screw driver i used a philips screwdriver to remove the screws

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There is a kit for opening iPhone 4 on eBay for $5.99 + $3.50 shipping.

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You have to wonder what business model they used to justify this. They sell millions of iPhones, so multiply that by - what - 2 or 4 screws per iPhone. Even if the screws are a penny each for Apple, that is still a lot of money, especially when you figure in tooling costs, distribution costs, the cost of labor each time a phone is brought into Apple, etc. Probably in the millions of dollars.

Now - what percentage of people will actually change their batteries themselves? 1% 0.1%? I just don't see how they are losing enough money on do it yourselfers that it justifies all the expense.

The only conclusion I can come to is that this is lawyer mandated. Since the batteries can get as hot as hot lava if they are shorted, a clumsy or inexperienced person doing it themself can be in real danger. Apple doesn't want a lawsuit. The problem? This won't stop a determined user from doing it anyway. That small percentage is a very determined, stubborn percentage and will stop at nothing to do the job themselves. So - the new screws accomplish NOTHING.

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The new screws achieve exactly what Apple is likely to want.

Have plain philips screws there and there is the likelihood of an "average joe" trying to open it and causing a problem.

Put pentalobe screws in and that likelihood is now almost zero.

Less warranty claims. Less complaints. Less problems.

And while you can quote 1% as a number of people who might want to change their batteries, don't forget that 1% is still 160,000 iOS devices (on the last number I saw) so that's 160000 more possible warranty claims.

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Isn't warranty voided when you open the iPhone?

The only thing I see they are trying to avoid are lawsuits.

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Warranty may be voided if you open the iPhone, but that doesn't stop people trying to claim warranty after they have opened the iPhone and broken it.