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Wistar
cj
Watching that video, the first thought I have is "So much engineering and I still need to buy a phone case with my new phone?"
I'm guessing phone cases are still pretty much required if you drop your phone once or twice a month onto cement/asphalt/marble/etc from pocket height.
I would be really curious to hear the internal debate at Apple wrt design tradeoffs + durability. E.g. how much of the iPhone design is only possible because Apple is assuming the average person will have a case on their phone.
I wouldn't be surprised if the typical consumer would be more impressed by "No Case Required iPhone" compared to "Skinniest and lightest iPhone yet!".
Aurornis
Cases are great because everyone can get one that matches their risk level and frequency of drops.
Having a sacrificial outer layer that I can replace for $10 is also preferable to letting the $1000 phone take the damage.
hombre_fatal
Yeah, I never understand these caseless discussions.
I went caseless once since I didn't realize my case would arrive a week after I bought the phone.
The phone was slippery (couldn't temporarily rest it on my knee), and I found myself inspecting the restaurant/bar table any time I put the phone down after that one night I placed it right into a puddle of beer condensation and some mysterious food that got in the mic on the back of the phone and grossed me out.
The phone could be indestructible to drops and it still wouldn't solve those issues.
raverbashing
Yup for both counts
I don't see what's the big deal honestly
Some people just seem to like making things harder on themselves
Meanwhile if I drop my phone (which I'm very careful, so it was probably once or twice and not from too high) it's really nbd
Moto7451
This, and the options you probably would hate on the phone stock.
For my 17 Pro I got a case with a kickstand. If the kickstand breaks off I get a new $16 case. If it was built into the phone I’d possibly need a new backplate depending on the damage. Probably not $16 to fix. A built in kick stand would certainly become a love it or hate it feature based on how people use the thing.
And there are people out there who are going to be huge fans of the Flower Power iMac. They can get just such a case and Apple doesn’t have to take the loss on that given 2025 design aesthetic .
shpx
You usually just need to replace the front or back glass, which is $30 with Apple Care or $60 for both, not the entire iPhone. I crack mine about once a year.
realityfactchex
Are the $10 "rugged defender style cases" found online actually as protective for drops as the $80 actual Otterbox Defender branded case?
I really wonder, seems like maybe, and might be worth looking into. If so, that would be fantastic and would make the case round to 2 orders of magnitude less costly than the device, instead of just 1.
whycome
We call these the “use case scenarios”
everdrive
Pretty crazy concept; I wonder if someone could ever figure out something for a replaceable battery.
tshaddox
But you’ll only ever see the “sacrificial layer,” and never see “real layer,” right? So are you only concerned about protecting against major functional breakage? Or maybe only concerned about resale value?
tw04
> Watching that video, the first thought I have is "So much engineering and I still need to buy a phone case with my new phone?"
You can buy a $400m yacht and still need buoys when you dock it.
Unless you want a phone that comes with a pre-installed rubber bumper around the outside, or we have some humanity altering discoveries in transparent materials science, you’re always going to have a case. Gravity and concrete are undefeated.
jandrewrogers
Saying "gravity and concrete are undefeated" is not explanatory.
In 25+ years of carrying a naked mobile phone everywhere I've never broken one. My lifestyle theoretically exposes me to significantly greater risk of damage than the average person too. I view phones as semi-disposable devices, so I take no special care or precautions.
I am eternally baffled as to why people need cases on their phones. The observation that many people do seem to break them frequently isn't an explanation. I can't wrap my head around the degree of clumsiness and carelessness that would seem to be required to explain this phenomenon.
distances
Since almost everyone uses cases anyway, I don't understand why phones are all metal and glass. I want a phone with a light plastic body. Pixel 4a 5G was my favourite phone, the same weight as iPhone Air. The new Pixel 10 is already over 200g.
jorvi
> Unless you want a phone that comes with a pre-installed rubber bumper around the outside, or we have some humanity altering discoveries in transparent materials science, you’re always going to have a case. Gravity and concrete are undefeated.
But they are defeated. By plastics, no bumper required. This is why the Nokia Windows phones felt so indestructible, polycarbonate is an amazing material for a phone body.
KronisLV
> Unless you want a phone that comes with a pre-installed rubber bumper around the outside…
I had one of those rugged Android phones before my current iPhone, I think it was the Ulefone Armor X7 Pro. I happened to drop it a few times, worst was from about 1.7 meters up while doing pull ups (wired headphones and busted pants pocket zipper) on concrete. Thought that it’d be a goner for sure, but no, just scratched up the corner of the frame, it had a soft and rubbery quality to it (at least compared to regular plastic).
It was actually a really nice phone, good battery life and everything, except for the part where the battery eventually turned into a pillow and since it’s not exactly easily used serviceable I just moved on.
Since, I started to like iOS but my ideal setup functionality wise would still be something one step closer to a brick with a big battery and a protective exterior (glueing a power bank to my current iPhone case would be a bit silly though).
sroussey
I don’t use a case. It’s fine.
ori_b
> Unless you want a phone that comes with a pre-installed rubber bumper around the outside
Sure, why not? If there's going to be a rubber bumper anyways, why wouldn't I want the manufacturer to ship it?
mulmen
You don’t leave the bumpers out at all times. The decking and furniture are all built from suitable materials to not need additional protection. Phone cases are an anomaly.
bdangubic
I would rather wax my entire body than put a case on the phone
thepryz
I think you'd be surprised by how durable the newer phones are, especially the iPhone Air. It's hard to completely protect a glass screen from shattering since its a crystalline material encased in a metal enclosure that is more likely to dent than flex, absorb the impact and return to it's shape, but they keep getting better and I think most people could go without a case if they really wanted to.
If you're curious about just how durable the iPhone Air is, take a look at the latest Jerry Rig Everything video where it exceeded his typical scratch test resits and he was unable to bend it with his hands.
GeekyBear
For those who prefer text over video:
> Typical smartphone glass starts scratching at a level 6 on the Mohs scale of hardness, but Zack’s picks barely left marks even at 7. “Apple ruined my line,” he joked, noting that Corning’s new Ceramic Shield 2 is a big improvement over last year’s iPhone 16 lineup, even besting the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s Gorilla Armor 2, which showed visible scratches at a level 6 when it was put to the same test earlier this year.
and
> Using a crane scale in his garage, he applied direct pressure in the center of the iPhone Air until it finally gave way. The iPhone Air endured up to 216 pounds (~98kg) of force before its front glass finally cracked and the titanium frame flexed past the point of recovery. Surprisingly, the back glass came out unscathed, and the phone was still powered on and usable in the end.
https://www.notebookcheck.net/The-iPhone-Air-bends-in-JerryR...
lejohnq
I’ve been caseless for a while and have had a couple of drops and the phone has been fine. When I eventually upgrade my phone, I’ll probably stay caseless, or add minimal protection. Mainly cause if the increasingly rare catastrophic drop happens, it’d be unpleasant to deal with.
I do like some cases for their design elements, I might use one to just further personalize my phone.
frizlab
I have been caseless forever. If I drop the phone and it breaks I’ll bring it to repairs (I used to do it myself but it’s more complicated now and I don’t have the time anymore anyways).
Tokumei-no-hito
i was for a while too. but the shift back to aluminum does not bode well for caseless.
deep scratches are trivial and drops will immediately lead to heavy dents. that being said the screen itself is incredibly tough so it will be usable.
before (stainless / titanium) you could go caseless without concern. the most i ever had happen was a little crack on the back
jeroenhd
I don't know what it is about iPhones but I find them to get damage/chips/scratches super easy compared to the Android phones I've used.
Maybe the new phones are better, but I was quite disappointed when I noticed how easy the paint came off. What's the point of a pretty phone if you're gonna need me to put a case around it?
rz2k
The titanium iPhones, at least, are nearly impervious to scratches when dropped on concrete or asphalt from a reasonable height. I “scientifically” test this pretty often.
Because the iPhone 15 pro was significantly lighter than previous pro models, I wanted to avoid a case to get the most out of this improvement. However, I wouldn’t have even experimented with not using a case if it weren’t for the applecare+ plans that are reasonable. I’ve been surprised by the durability to the extent that I should probably discontinue the applecare+ plan.
The aluminum models might not be as durable. Compared to phones 20 or even 30 years ago that didn’t need a case, I suppose a significant difference is the density as much as the total weight or the hardness of the materials.
loloquwowndueo
Phones 20 years ago didn’t have expansive glass-covered screens. The biggest I had (blackberry curve) was fairly plasticky and quite sturdy, when dropped it might sometimes eject the battery compartment cover but otherwise survived in perfect working order. And of course Nokias were almost indestructible.
xanderlewis
Phone cases are not required. I’ve been using an iPhone 12 for nearly five years now — and yes, I’ve carelessly dropped it plenty of times, onto very hard surfaces.
It’s got a couple of tiny dents in it, but the screen is untouched and it works like new. I’ve never used a case.
In the iPhone 4 era, if you were unlucky enough to drop your phone even once onto a table the screen will have almost certainly instantly shattered into a million pieces. But that’s far from true now; things have come a long way. The ‘No Case Required iPhone’ is already here.
varenc
Cases can absorb so much stress because they're made of soft materials that degrade over time. I replace mine ~once a year. Such materials aren't really a good match to be built directly into a phone.
ziml77
How do you propose making a device that people wouldn't feel the need to put a case on? You could make the whole thing out of rubber but that's still going to take cosmetic damage that people want to protect the device from. You could make it easy to replace that rubber... but at what point is that not just functionally the same as a case?
mitthrowaway2
One way would be to have an accelerometer detect that the phone is falling, and have tiny spring-actuated bumpers, wires, or feet extend from the corners of the phone to catch its fall. Little stainless-steel or Nitinol wires would do great.
Here's a patent for the idea which just expired this year: https://patents.google.com/patent/US7059182B1/
Apple also patented some versions of this, although I think not as nice as the 2005 one: https://patents.google.com/patent/US9571150B2
embed_tinkerer
I bought a cheap(£150 at the time) phone 3-4 years ago called "Ulefone" where in a sense the 'case' is built in to the phone. It is marketed as a phone for handymen or outdoor functions.
It is a bit bigger with protective shell around it is bulky, but withstood all the drops that a typical phone would break. There is some flaring around the screen and camera that it prevents most of scratches. The back has some sort of hard rubber but it held up well.
I've only had to replace the screen protector within 3 years as the scuffs and marks made it difficult to see in well-lit environment.
cj
> How do you propose making a device that people wouldn't feel the need to put a case on?
If the screen were reasonably scratch + shatter proof, I think most people wouldn't feel the need to wear a case.
VertanaNinjai
This might be the first time I’ve seen someone happy about an advertisement in the wild. It is a cool video though!
supriyo-biswas
The ads for ReMarkable 2 and Apple’s Don’t Blink are quite captivating and entertaining in a way that I can’t claim about typical advertising.
lr1970
Nice video, indeed. Towards the end of the video the last shot of the home screen says "April 1" -- nice Easter Egg for all us "fools".
0_____0
This is a heat pipe. A technology from the 60s. Your laptop almost certainly has heat pipes in it. They usually use alcohol rather than water as the phase change material though. The (relatively) novel thing is that it's packaged small enough to be in a phone. I suspect the only reason it hasn't been used in handhelds more is because the TDP of mobile processors wasn't high enough to warrant it.
Aurornis
Vapor chambers and heat pipes use some of the same physics concepts, but a vapor chamber is significantly more effective for spreading heat across a large area. They’re also harder to manufacture and more complex.
Have you ever seen a CPU or GPU heat sink that has 5-6 heat pipes in parallel because they need to spread the head over a larger area? A vapor chamber is an upgrade over heat pipes in applications that aren’t moving heat from a point to a line.
Don’t be so dismissive. This is actually cool.
0_____0
Perhaps it's just that in retrospect, it seems a relatively small jump from heat pumps to vapor chambers.
Do you know if the vapor chambers operate at reduced internal atmospheric pressure? Unless I'm missing something, in order to get the liquid-gas phase boundary to a useful temperature, you'd have to bring the pressure down to, idk, 10kPa (boiling point of water is ~50C)? That would complicate manufacturing for sure, and also means that any leaks are catastrophic for your thermal solution.
Also I would be remiss if I did not note that the refrigerant designation of water is R-718.
jffry
> Do you know if the vapor chambers operate at reduced internal atmospheric pressure?
Indeed they do. A random search found this company that manufactures vapor chambers and they have a short discussion: https://radianheatsinks.com/vapor-chamber-heatsink/
Y-bar
On one side it’s cool. On the other, it’s a hot chip.
esperent
Heat pipes are one dimensional (a pipe), vapor chambers are two dimensional (a square chamber). Most vapor chambers I've seen on GPUs have the chamber attached to lots of small heat pipes on the side though (they even note this in article, in case you feel like reading it).
That said, I assume the main technical breakthrough here is in manufacturing, producing tiny chambers consistently in enough volume for iphones.
0_____0
Any passive phase change thermal solution is doing the same thing - take thermal energy from one place, and distribute it for dissipation. My point is that the geometric configuration isn't that important, it's doing the same work the same way. Not really worth arguing about, I just suspect that the branding people love that they had a new buzzword in "vapor chamber" to bandy about.
I liked this article from 10 years ago that actually goes into detail about how Fujitsu actually constructed a super-thin heat pipe (really just a very long vapor chamber) https://spectrum.ieee.org/superslim-liquid-loop-will-keep-fu...
Aloisius
"Vapor chamber" isn't a new buzzword. It's been the name for flat plate heat pipes since the 1970s.
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/19770025469/downloads/19...
numpad0
Also on some Android gaming phones since 2018. Regular heat pipes on phones dates back to at least 2013.
JoBrad
As I understand it, it’s more than that: there are small “inverted pyramids” that cause the water to condense more rapidly, to extract even more heat from the system.
DoctorOetker
texture etc to promote condensation and to wick (without a rope) condensed liquid back to the hot point are also used in heat pipes.
I agree with the other commenters that "vapor chamber" is a kind of heat pipe, since "heat pipe" doesn't really impose constant radii by definition.
fennecbutt
>The (relatively) novel thing is that it's packaged small enough to be in a phone
Android/other phones have had heat pipes/vapour chambers for a long time now. I'm not sure why anybody calls this novel or new even when applied to mobile devices.
Moar Apple effect, I guess.
jeroenhd
Vapor chambers are in laptops already. Mostly gaming laptops, because they need help getting the heat away from GPUs.
The miniaturisation of vapor chambers is cool, though. Not new (phones have been coming out with those for years), but it's not "just" another heatpipe.
I think that the fact that more and more phones producing so much heat that they need vapor chambers is also something worth writing about.
That said, most news media seems to have drunk the Apple kool aid because they all rave about the vapor chamber for some reason. I guess iPhone media is just a few years behind the curve.
Onavo
It's a little bit older than just the 60s..
jml7c5
Oppo uses these in some of their phones. They gave a factory tour to the "Know Art" Youtube channel, which made a good video on it: https://youtu.be/qAZ-q3KmDHM
sfortis
Razer Phone 2 laughs, 6 years ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGsICbmmfws
winrid
Also same tech used in laptops. I was always wondering when we'd see this in high end phones.
fennecbutt
I was wondering when yet again we'd see the "omg Apple!!! So innovative!!!"
Wonder what the next Apple "innovation" will be.
tymscar
Majority of your comments are nothing more than just bashing Apple with things that aren’t even the case.
Nobody, especially not the title of this post, says anything about this being “innovative” or “omg”.
I think you are right that there is an Apple mental field that controls people, but I actually think the effect is on the other side.
Most Apple fans just comment on something new and go like “hey, look how neat this”. The haters, on the other hand, respond with more or less the same thing multiple times even in the same thread.
I understand if a kid does it, it’s innate to humans to side with Pepsi or Cola, with Xbox or PS, but for an adult, it’s just sad.
If you love tech, just appreciate new things regardless of who the company that makes them is. And if you don’t, then why waste your time on hating it all the time? Just get a hobby.
leakycap
I'm interested to see how many/few complaints we see about the iPhone Air overheating, since it has almost the exact same chip as the 17 Pro but a simpler cooling system
"My phone is really hot, is this normal or is it broken?!" is something I started getting asked by random iPhone-using friends over the last few years as they upgraded to a new model and then felt it sizzling.
thewebguyd
Got my air yesterday and it definitely gets hot. Will see how it does after a few days as I expected the heat due to the initial sync and transfer, and iOS indexes everything for a day or two.
But even then it was no hotter than my 16 Pro
reaperducer
Got my air yesterday and it definitely gets hot. Will see how it does after a few days as I expected the heat due to the initial sync and transfer, and iOS indexes everything for a day or two.
I have one, too, and you're right that the heating is just what happens while it restores its data and settings and whatnot.
I believe it also re-scans your entire photo library to re-identify dogs, cars, people, etc. with whatever improved algorithm comes with the new chip/OS.
This happens every time you get a new iPhone. Depending on how much it has to sort through, it can take a couple of hours to a week.
I always leave the case off for the first few days.
dannyw
As a photographer with over 50,000 photos in my iCloud, getting new iPhones is a pain.
Havoc
>I'm interested to see how many/few complaints we see about the iPhone Air overheating
One less core, and from the benchmarking it's clear that it throttles a fair bit earlier than the rest. Even worse its a titanium body so worse dissipation
jtokoph
I figure it will just be clocked down to maintain thermals
orev
Which most people are going to immediately cover with an insulating layer of plastic or silicone.
At least the heat will be spread out from one spot (and into the battery?). All phone makers are doing what they can within the design constraints.
jrowen
Why have none of the major players tried integrating a case? Making a ruggedized version? They could probably do a lot better and find ways to innovate with something integrated.
Why do they ignore the fact that so many people use cases (and the market opportunity)? It's almost a defect at this point. Some people like the personalization but I think a lot of people just want something that won't break when you drop it...
Aurornis
> Why do they ignore the fact that so many people use cases (and the market opportunity)?
Apple sells cases.
There are ruggedized phones available. The market is small.
You can get away without a case with a modern iPhone for longer than most people assume.
The average person does better with a $10 sacrificial case layer that snaps on to their phone that can be replaced whenever they want or if it gets damaged.
vlovich123
Lots of reasons. The most obvious ones that come to mind:
1. People like a variety of custom cases that themselves have features (eg wallet cases random designs etc). If it’s built into the phone that customization capability is worse because you now have two layers of protection making for a very thick and heat-insulating design.
2. It’s valuable to have partners that make accessories for your device. If you kill that line of business for them, other things may go away and those partners will want to work with you less.
3. An integrated case will still suffer cosmetic damage. But now without the option to replace, you’re stuck with that damage.
rootusrootus
I’ve had phones before that rugged enough to not want a case. It’s great, I wish there were good options like that today. But I think I prefer a separate case. When mine gets enough wear and tear, I replace it and it feels like I have a whole new phone.
Aurornis
> Which most people are going to immediately cover with an insulating layer of plastic or silicone.
Or their hand. Or their pocket.
It’s fine. It’s planned.
The cooling solution’s job is to spread the heat around as much as possible so it can be dissipated in the limited conditions available.
fuzzfactor
When the bare phone is in your hand and it's quite a bit warmer than body temperature, your hand may very well be carrying away more heat than ambient air exchange would be capable of.
jeroenhd
For phones that heat up enough to need it, the screen also acts as a way to dissipate heat. Unless you put an extremely thick screen protector on there, the phone will still be able to get rid of some heat through the glass.
I do wonder how this will affect benchmarks, though. I can imagine the phones running slower in practice compared to reviews because the reviewers don't put a case on there.
Havoc
Pretty sure this is 99% a reaction to LLMs. On the older ones things get really spicy with even short on device LLM runs.
tngranados
I've noticed my iPhone get hot the most while using the camera. Especially while taking video, but after a few photos it gets hot as well. I was on vacations last week in a tropical country and took a lot of photos with my 16 Pro and it gets so hot after just a few photos that it starts lagging A LOT due to the throttling.
I'm sure this is handy for LLM usage, but this was a problem before those were a thing I'd say.
shinycode
I have the same case, iPhone 16 pro is getting really hot when taking photos and videos it’s unbearable. I will change my phone for that reason, the battery melts right away … I noticed something though, when taking a picture with the x5 camera if I cover the main lens the brightness changes. So I think the iPhone now merges the two stream to enhance quality. That wasn’t the case before and that might be why the phone is getting hot
lostlogin
My 16 pro is frustratingly laggy taking photos all the time, particularly from the lock screen. It's a little better from the camera app.
busymom0
Anyone noticed that the gradient pattern on the wallpaper says "PRO" if you look closely?
deadbabe
I have an iPhone Air now and have no complaints about the heating. The thinness is worth the occasional heat and throttle down. Every time I pick up this phone, it just feels fantastic!
busymom0
I am considering buying the Air over the base model 17. Only concern I have is whether the battery will degrade faster over charging cycles than base model? Someone with more experience in battery tech could explain if that could be the case possibly?
vbezhenar
Of course it will. Less capacity, it means that you'll have more cycles per year (for example you might need to charge base model once in a two days, while air once in a day); or you'll keep air at more extreme battery values (for example you might charge base model every day, but you'll charge it from 25% to 80%, while you'll charge air model every day from 5% to 80%).
That doesn't matter, though. Battery replacement on iPhones is very common procedure and you'll need to replace both batteries eventually.
deadbabe
It doesn’t matter because people who buy iPhone Air likely enjoy owning cutting edge experimental products. So when the folding iPhone comes out in a year or two they will probably switch to that. The battery only needs to survive long enough for that.
fooqux
Serious question: how is the thinness providing value? Is it simply the feel?
lysace
Back when I had the iPhone 5S (7.6 mm vs the 5.6 mm of the iPhone 17 Air): It provided value in terms of feel. It felt like a piece of art meeting cutting edge technology. It wasn't about showing off.
It was also so light that it felt safe to use it without a protective case. And not that expensive.
reaperducer
Nothing feels better than the original iPhone.
Solid, tactile, and just the right size. Mine finally got stuck in a boot loop earlier this year, but I keep it in my desk drawer, and pick it up occasionally. The mute switch (an actual switch, not a button) is still the best.
deadbabe
Easier to slide into the back pocket of my jeans and it doesn’t bulge as much. It also just feels really good in your hands, great ergonomics.
reaperducer
Every time I pick up this phone, it just feels fantastic!
I find that I treat it very gingerly. Something in my mind expects it to be fragile; presumably because it's thin and looks like glass.
kccqzy
> In Apple’s version, a small amount of deionized water is sealed in the chamber. […] Water is often used in vapor chambers, though sometimes other materials are mixed in to prevent it from freezing and cracking the seal, Chiriac says.
So Apple uses deionized water, while others add in some other chemicals to prevent it from freezing. So how will the new iPhone deal with freezing temperatures?
xyx0826
Is it necessary to prevent the water from freezing? If the chamber and water within are subzero while the SoC produces sufficient heat, the ice would simply melt.
* Edit: the article mentioned freezing could crack the seal. Freezing would be a bigger issue than I had thought, then.
willis936
I remember being stuck on a ski lift on a day that was too cold and windy for any intelligent person to be skiing. The phone in my breast pocket was cold to the touch and the battery capacity evaporated by 50%. The display's response time was hundreds of ms. I turned it off at that point.
Not a huge deal. Just charge it when it's warmer. I would have been a little surprised if something inside popped and suddenly the phone started thermal throttling or had water damage.
vbezhenar
In my city, temperatures are regularly below -20 Celsius and sometimes below -40. iPhone just doesn't work. You need to keep it close to body and you can't use it outside for a prolonged period of time, it'll simply shut off in a few minutes and won't turn on until you heat it.
Old phones and some android phones work just fine in these conditions.
kasabali
It shouldn't crack the seal because there's very tiny amount of liquid inside there should be enough room to expand.
but that's in theory :P
lysace
Not exactly brand new tech, but now on a mobile device without the long-term security baggage that often comes from using Android.
bigyabai
I think NSO Group has pretty thoroughly demonstrated that iOS users aren't exonerated from security concerns.
lysace
Yes, state actors will be able to breach into your iOS device if you're deemed important enough.
Edit: Meanwhile your average Android device has multiple publicly known remote execution issues.
Aerbil313
With iPhone 17 line the security situation has improved dramatically. I'm not a cybersecurity researcher, but Apple says even nation-state actors will struggle to breach a single device with the newly introduced Memory Integrity Enforcement mechanism. Their research appears legit:
https://security.apple.com/blog/memory-integrity-enforcement...
bigyabai
Yup. Pretty similar to the modern threat profile of Android, all things considered.
> your average Android device has multiple publicly known remote execution issues.
Help me distinguish between "publicly known" RCE vulns and private ones. Do the privately owned exploits like FORCEDENTRY count as "publicly known", or only the Greykey/Cellebrite exploits used by governments?
monster_truck
They must be struggling to hit their perf/w targets if this ended up being necessary.
These phones are not going to age well, the paste or thermal pads is not going to last. Larger sheets of graphene for full size processors and gpus are good for a decade, at this size it'll be lucky to get to 5.
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Last night I encountered a 3 min+ ad on YT about the construction of the iPhone 17 Pro. A few seconds were devoted to the cooling system. I watched the whole thing. It was better than the video it interrupted.
https://youtu.be/_-AS5DtDeqs?si=rTfubRDArVupqREt