The iPhone 17 Pro has already gone under the knife, with iFixit sharing a detailed video teardown highlighting what’s changed inside.
Apple has swapped titanium for aluminium this year, but the bigger shift is structural. Instead of a full glass back, the 17 Pro now uses a smaller “window” that covers the MagSafe magnets and wireless charging coil.
The problem? Removing the back no longer gives you easy access to components. Most repairs now begin at the front with the display, which immediately makes simple fixes more awkward.
Once the screen is off, the mid-frame can be unscrewed. iFixit did praise one change here: the battery is attached to this mid-frame, making it quicker to swap once you’re inside. Still, compared with the iPhone 16 Pro, this feels like a sideways move for repairability rather than a step forward.
Scores, scratches and sticking points
Both the iPhone 17 Pro and the new iPhone Air received provisional repairability scores of 7/10 — the same as last year’s Pro. That’s serviceable, but the reality is most fixes now involve removing the entire display, and replacing the USB-C port looks particularly painful.
The teardown also touched on “Scratchgate.” Thanks to the sharp edges of the camera island, the anodisation layer that colours the Pro models is weaker around those corners. In short, the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max could be more scratch-prone than the regular iPhone 17, despite costing considerably more.
Repair-friendly? Not quite
Apple likes to spotlight sustainability, but the practicalities of fixing the iPhone 17 Pro still leave plenty to be desired.
Compared with Android rivals like the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, Apple’s flagship requires patience, precision and probably a willingness to pay for AppleCare if you’re not confident with a toolkit.
The iPhone 17 Pro isn’t impossible to repair, but it’s hardly user-friendly. With most jobs starting at the display and fresh concerns about scratches, this is one phone you’ll want to keep in a sturdy case and maybe budget for insurance too.
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