Every September, Apple builds a watch that is sealed tight against water, sweat and the occasional dive into a pool. Every October, iFixit takes a heat gun to it and tells us what that costs the people who might want to fix it someday. This year’s verdict is in: the Apple Watch Series 12 and the Apple Watch Ultra 4 both landed at 4 out of 10 for repairability. That is a small step up for one of them and no movement at all for the other, and a Google watch just walked past both with a 9.
Short answer: iFixit scored both the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 at 4/10. The Series 12 improved thanks to a battery pull tab and a simpler press connector. The Ultra 4 changed nothing about repair. Batteries grew a little on both watches, and iFixit says Apple still does not sell Watch repair parts, tools or manuals in states with right to repair laws.
What iFixit found inside the Series 12
Getting into a modern Apple Watch is still a project. The display is bonded to the case with a generous amount of adhesive, which is how the watch keeps its water resistance, and prying it open without slicing the display cable takes patience. Where the Series 12 improves is deeper in. The battery is now held in place with a stretch-release pull tab, the same idea that made iPhone batteries friendlier to swap. iFixit called it a “modest” gain, and the word fits.
The second change is the connector. The Series 12 drops the old ZIF connector that made repairs fiddly and replaces it with a press connector, which is faster to seat and less likely to be damaged by shaky hands. Together, the pull tab and the cleaner cable layout earned the Series 12 a 4 out of 10, which iFixit counts as an improvement over the previous base model it scored.
There is a catch that keeps the score from climbing higher. You cannot reach the battery without lifting the display, and you cannot swap the display without removing the battery. So even the simplest repair means working through the same glued perimeter first, and a cracked screen now drags the battery job along with it.
The Ultra 4 stays exactly where it was
The bigger sibling got no repair upgrades at all. Opening it still means heating the display for around ten minutes and then cutting through the adhesive around the edge, and iFixit notes it is easy to slice the display cable while doing it. The result is the same 4 out of 10 that every Apple Watch Ultra before it has received. If you were hoping the rugged model would borrow the Series 12’s pull tab, that has not happened this year.
| Repair detail | Apple Watch Series 12 | Apple Watch Ultra 4 |
|---|---|---|
| iFixit repairability score | 4 out of 10 | 4 out of 10 |
| Battery adhesive | Stretch-release pull tab | No change reported |
| Display connector | Press connector (ZIF dropped) | No change reported |
| Getting inside | Glued display, battery sits behind it | Heat the display about 10 minutes, cut the adhesive |
| Screen swap needs battery out? | Yes | Battery is reached through the screen |
Both batteries grew, but only a little
The teardown also gave us hard battery numbers. The 46mm Series 12 carries a 1.461 Wh cell, up from 1.403 Wh in the Series 11, which works out to about 4 percent more capacity. The Ultra 4 steps from 2.313 Wh in the Ultra 3 to 2.444 Wh, a gain of roughly 5.7 percent. Neither is a dramatic jump, and they fit with what we saw when we looked at real-world Apple Watch Series 12 battery life, where most of the improvement came from the chip rather than the cell.
Source: iFixit teardown figures as reported by MacRumors. Series 12 figure is for the 46mm model.
Why Pixel Watch 5 is the benchmark now
iFixit made a point of holding Google up as proof that a wearable does not have to be a sealed brick. The Pixel Watch 5 earned a 9 out of 10. Its display and battery come out after removing a few screws and a gasket, with no adhesive to fight. That is the opposite philosophy to Apple’s glue-first approach, and it still keeps the watch water resistant. If you are weighing the two ecosystems, our Pixel Watch 5 review roundup covers how the watch performs once you strap it on.
The right to repair angle
The more serious part of iFixit’s report is not about screws at all. The company argues Apple is “out of compliance” with right to repair laws in Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Colorado, Minnesota, Texas, New York, Maryland and Connecticut. Its reasoning is simple: Apple does not sell Apple Watch repair parts or service tools in those places, and it does not publish repair manuals either. iFixit says it is now putting together evidence to hand to state attorneys general.
Apple has not, as far as the coverage we reviewed shows, publicly answered those claims yet. That is worth keeping in mind, since this is iFixit’s reading of the law and not a ruling. It also lands while Apple is dealing with other Watch headaches, including the Masimo patent bill that just grew by $184 million.
What this means if you own one
- Do not plan on DIY repairs. A 4 out of 10 means it is possible for skilled hands, but one slip can cut the display cable.
- Budget for Apple’s service route. Battery replacement through Apple is the realistic option, and AppleCare+ can help with battery wear below its 80 percent threshold. Check Apple’s current fees before you buy.
- Expect screen damage to cost more. Because the display and battery are tied together, a screen job on the Series 12 involves the battery as well.
- If repairability matters to you, the Pixel Watch 5 is the clear outlier among major smartwatches right now.
Final verdict
Apple is moving in the right direction, just slowly. The Series 12’s pull tab and press connector are real improvements, and slightly larger batteries on both models are welcome. But a 4 out of 10 is still a long way from the 9 that Google managed with screws and a gasket, and the unanswered right to repair question could matter more than any score. For most buyers the practical takeaway is unchanged: treat an Apple Watch as a sealed device that Apple services, not one you will ever open yourself. If you want the full picture of what the new models do well, our Series 12 and Ultra 4 review roundup is the place to start.
Sources and further reading
- MacRumors: Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 Score 4/10 for Repairability
- 9to5Mac: iFixit tears down Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4
- iPhone in Canada: Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 are still hard to repair, says iFixit
- Notebookcheck: Pixel Watch 5 teardown results in another rare rating from iFixit
- MacRumors: Apple Watch roundup
About this article: GeekBlog covers U.S. technology news, AI, phones, smartwatches and gaming. Every story is written and checked under our Editorial Policy. Spotted a mistake or have a story tip? Contact our editors.
