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Step 14

• Next out, the iPhone's 12 MP peeper!

• This year's camera offers a substantial spec bump from the 6, including the first resolution increase since the iPhone 4s.

• 50% more focus pixels means faster, more accurate autofocus without a drop in quality.

• The new iSight camera also brings the iPhone into the arena of 4K video recording, which has previously been dominated by Android phones.

• Increased pixel density often comes at the cost of a decrease in individual pixel quality, due to crosstalk from competing photodiodes, but this new iSight camera includes some cool technologies that mitigate that issue.

• There are electrically insulating trenches etched between the sensor's photodiodes, a process called Deep Trench Isolation, to compensate for leakage between densely-packed pixels.

Step 15

• And now, for a trip into the Twilight Zone...

• We find a strange 2.5 mm hex head in the place of the more standard stand-off screw. Add a new tool to your smartphone arsenal...

• And out comes the Lovecraftian antenna unit seen in previous models.

Step 16

And now, for the moment we've all been waiting for... It's time to reveal some ICs on the front of the logic board:

• Apple A9 APL0898 SoC + Samsung 2 GB LPDDR4 RAM (as denoted by the markings K3RG1G10BM-BGCH)

• Qualcomm MDM9635M LTE Cat. 6 Modem (vs. the MDM9625M found in the iPhone 6)

• InvenSense MP67B 6-axis Gyroscope and Accelerometer Combo (also found in iPhone 6)

• Bosch Sensortec 3P7 LA 3-axis Accelerometer (likely BMA280)

• TriQuint TQF6405 Power Amplifier Module

• Skyworks SKY77812 Power Amplifier Module

• Avago AFEM-8030 Power Amplifier Module

Step 17

• Two more ICs on the front of the logic board:

• 57A6CVI

• Qualcomm QFE1100 Envelope Tracking IC

• Based on alleged schematics leaked last month, the rumor mill had the A9 pegged at a 15% smaller die size from the A8. We can't confirm the die size, but the A9 package itself appears bigger—roughly 14.5 x 15 mm, up from 13.5 x 14.5 mm on the A8. That could represent a smaller die plus the addition of the embedded M9 and other functions.

Step 18

But wait, there's more! We'll double your order of chips absolutely free!

• Toshiba THGBX5G7D2KLFXG 16 GB 19 nm NAND Flash

• Universal Scientific Industrial 339S00043 Wi-Fi Module

• NXP 66V10 NFC Controller (vs. 65V10 found in iPhone 6)

• Apple/Dialog 338S00120 Power Management IC

• Apple/Cirrus Logic 338S00105 Audio IC

• Qualcomm PMD9635 Power Management IC

• Skyworks SKY77357 Power Amplifier Module (likely an iteration of the SKY77354)

Step 19

More ICs on the back of the logic board:

• Murata 240 Front-End Module

• RF Micro Devices RF5150 Antenna Switch

• NXP 1610A3 (likely an iteration of the1610A1 found in the iPhone 5s and 5c)

• Apple/Cirrus Logic 338S1285 Audio IC (likely an iteration of the 338S1202 audio codec found in the iPhone 5s)

• Texas Instruments 65730AOP Power Management IC

• Qualcomm WTR3925 Radio Frequency Transceiver

• Possibly a Bosch Sensortec Barometric Pressure Sensor (BMP280)

Step 20

• Teardown update! It turns out this logic board has a secret weapon: tiny seals surround each of the cable connectors. (They look like black foam hedges surrounding each of the gold connectors.) What can it mean?

• Answer: we think those are waterproof silicone seals. They appear to match a patent Apple filed back in March for waterproofing board-to-board connectors.

• When it comes to liquid damage, those cable connectors are among the most vulnerable parts of the phone.

• This would seem to explain recent tests showing the 6s and 6s Plus to be dramatically more resistant to liquid damage.

Step 21

• Time to pick out the last goodies. The first to drop: the bass speaker.

• A closer look at the speaker reveals... not much, actually.

• The 6s speaker appears to be a very close cousin to the speaker from the iPhone 6. We suspect the difference in shape can be attributed to the addition of the Taptic Engine.

Step 22

• And now, the famous "everything cable" (a.k.a. the Lightning cable assembly), featuring not one, but two microphones!

• Beyond the two microphones, the Lightning cable assembly plays host to an impressive array of components:

• Lightning port to meet your charging/data transfer needs.

• Headphone jack for your audio needs.

• Cell antenna cables for all your cellular needs.

• While the Lightning cable assembly is a fine example of engineering efficiency, it doesn't bode well for repairs. A single broken component means the whole cable will need to be replaced.

Step 23

• This teardown opens at the close: The final step is the Sleep/Wake button!

• The large gasket of yore is gone, but there's still some waterproofing going on.

• That said, this device doesn't come with a water resistance rating, and we do not recommend getting your 6s wet. Water and smartphones are not the best of friends.

Step 24

• The display assembly continues to be the first component out, simplifying screen repairs.

• The battery is straightforward to access. Removing it requires a proprietary pentalobe screwdriver and knowledge of the adhesive removal technique, but is not difficult.

• The Touch ID cable is still tucked out of the way, but is paired to the logic board, complicating repairs.

• The iPhone 6s still uses proprietary Pentalobe screws on the exterior, requiring a specialty screwdriver to remove.

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