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This is an engineering masterpiece. The electrical engineer in me is mind-blown. I love the inter-PCB BGA-style interface. Standoff, connector and shield all in

by asteli 9y ago

This is an engineering masterpiece. The electrical engineer in me is mind-blown. I love the inter-PCB BGA-style interface. Standoff, connector and shield all in one component. And the component density is stunning. Clean internal layout, relatively serviceable, structured light 3D scanning built in. You can debate whether or not Apple have made good UI decisions, but the hardware design execution here is superb.

overcyn 9y ago
Yeah I don't know the slightest about electrical engineering but the spacer that servers as a connector struck me as super clever.
nimish 9y ago
Yeah their product engineering is just off the charts. That PCB layout alone is insane.
QAPereo 9y ago
I've never seen anything remotely like it... is there anything else like it on the mass market?
- solidr53 9y ago
  they probably got the idea from halt and catch fire :)
rconti 9y ago
Part of me thinks it's absolutely stunning that such engineering is even possible, and frankly, in a way, how much you get for your money. The future is here. Then I realize, the only reason this is remotely possible is due to volume. So it almost says less about technical progress and performance per cubic inch per dollar coming down, and more about how volume makes the above possible.
yodsanklai 9y ago
I'm just wondering, how does it compare to let say a samsung galaxy S8 in terms of engineering? on paper, they seem to be pretty similar devices but Samsung doesn't get nearly as much praise. Is Apple really ahead there?
- igravious 9y ago
  https://www.ifixit.com/smartphone-repairability https://www.ifixit.com/smartphone-repairability Check out all their in-depth guides. Props to the Fairphone 2 for receiving a 10/10 for repairability.
  - vanderZwan 9y ago
    Typing this on a Fairphone 2 right now and I'm a pretty happy customer. It's like the phone equivalent to a thinkpad design where everyone else is using ultra books. It's interesting to see how these phones prioritise different things. Their service is pretty good too by the way. I had a broken bottom module and when I contacted them was sent a new one the same day. Took a week to get here because international shipping but that's hardly their fault. Repairs really was just power down, open phone, unscrew component, put in new one, fasten screws, boot up phone. Took me fifteen minutes, which felt awesome. I'm not going to deny that the newest iPhone is both more advanced technology wide and just gorgeously designed, but in all honesty, smartphones hit a level of "good enough" a few years ago and it will take quite a fundamental leap in features for me to really want and upgrade. The only issue is that the camera in this thing is still frustratingly sluggish to the point where it feels like a downgrade compared to my iPhone 5s. Maybe the software is partially to blame, I've been looking on fdroid for replacement apps but none seem faster.
    - igravious 9y ago
      Pity about the point 'n shoot frustrations. I wonder is that the camera hardware or software or a combo of the two. Kind of surprised you went iPhone to Fairphone, I would have thought that most would be Android refugees. I hope they sell a shedload, Purism also.
andmarios 9y ago
The LG V30 teardown is pretty impressive too. I watched it first, a couple weeks ago, so the iPhoneX teardown didn't do much for me. If I had watched them in a different order, maybe I'd find the iPhone one more impressive. Though most impressive ever for me was a Panasonic cassette player (walkman style) in the 90's. The thing was barely larger than a cassette itself. My young mind was blown out.

by asteli 9y ago

overcyn 9y ago

Yeah I don't know the slightest about electrical engineering but the spacer that servers as a connector struck me as super clever.

nimish 9y ago

Yeah their product engineering is just off the charts. That PCB layout alone is insane.

QAPereo 9y ago

I've never seen anything remotely like it... is there anything else like it on the mass market?

solidr53 9y ago
they probably got the idea from halt and catch fire :)

rconti 9y ago

Part of me thinks it's absolutely stunning that such engineering is even possible, and frankly, in a way, how much you get for your money. The future is here. Then I realize, the only reason this is remotely possible is due to volume. So it almost says less about technical progress and performance per cubic inch per dollar coming down, and more about how volume makes the above possible.

yodsanklai 9y ago

I'm just wondering, how does it compare to let say a samsung galaxy S8 in terms of engineering? on paper, they seem to be pretty similar devices but Samsung doesn't get nearly as much praise. Is Apple really ahead there?

igravious 9y ago
https://www.ifixit.com/smartphone-repairability https://www.ifixit.com/smartphone-repairability Check out all their in-depth guides. Props to the Fairphone 2 for receiving a 10/10 for repairability.
- vanderZwan 9y ago
  Typing this on a Fairphone 2 right now and I'm a pretty happy customer. It's like the phone equivalent to a thinkpad design where everyone else is using ultra books. It's interesting to see how these phones prioritise different things. Their service is pretty good too by the way. I had a broken bottom module and when I contacted them was sent a new one the same day. Took a week to get here because international shipping but that's hardly their fault. Repairs really was just power down, open phone, unscrew component, put in new one, fasten screws, boot up phone. Took me fifteen minutes, which felt awesome. I'm not going to deny that the newest iPhone is both more advanced technology wide and just gorgeously designed, but in all honesty, smartphones hit a level of "good enough" a few years ago and it will take quite a fundamental leap in features for me to really want and upgrade. The only issue is that the camera in this thing is still frustratingly sluggish to the point where it feels like a downgrade compared to my iPhone 5s. Maybe the software is partially to blame, I've been looking on fdroid for replacement apps but none seem faster.
  - igravious 9y ago
    Pity about the point 'n shoot frustrations. I wonder is that the camera hardware or software or a combo of the two. Kind of surprised you went iPhone to Fairphone, I would have thought that most would be Android refugees. I hope they sell a shedload, Purism also.

andmarios 9y ago

The LG V30 teardown is pretty impressive too. I watched it first, a couple weeks ago, so the iPhoneX teardown didn't do much for me. If I had watched them in a different order, maybe I'd find the iPhone one more impressive. Though most impressive ever for me was a Panasonic cassette player (walkman style) in the 90's. The thing was barely larger than a cassette itself. My young mind was blown out.