iFixit tears down iPhone 18 Pro, flags display-frame damage in three of four phones

iFixit has published a teardown of the iPhone 18 Pro, examining its variable aperture, larger vapor chamber and redesigned Face ID hardware.

During the process, the display’s plastic frame was damaged in three of the four phones opened by the group. iFixit says a cracked frame could prevent the display from sitting flush after reassembly and could potentially compromise water resistance.

The group notes that other iPhone 18 Pro teardowns have not reported the same problem, while Apple has used this plastic frame since the iPhone 15 Pro. It therefore remains unclear whether the damage was an anomaly or a broader repairability concern.

Variable aperture uses six blades

The variable-aperture mechanism uses six small blades controlled by electromagnets. One blade flew out while iFixit dismantled the lens stack, suggesting that component-level repair would be impractical; if the aperture became stuck, the entire main camera assembly would likely need replacement.

Face ID infrared camera moves under display

Apple placed the Face ID infrared camera beneath the display, while retaining the selfie camera and infrared dot projector in the smaller Dynamic Island. iFixit found that Apple removed every other pixel row above the sensor and added an infrared-pass filter beneath the OLED layer to block visible light.

The filter does not reach the edge of the opening. Under some microscope settings, iFixit said, this produces an “eclipse effect.”

A20 Pro gets redesigned cooling

The A20 Pro places its silicon die beside the memory, removing the memory from the SoC’s thermal path and allowing the chip to connect directly to the vapor chamber. Apple said the new chamber has three times the surface area of the iPhone 17 Pro’s.

The teardown shows thermal material pressing the A20 Pro against the chamber, which extends across much of the phone’s body. iFixit suggests the improved heat management may make it harder to warm the display enough to soften its adhesive during repairs.

The USB-C port is also difficult to reach and requires removing much of the phone’s internals for replacement. The battery uses a glue-free tray and the camera assemblies are modular, but most major repairs still require entry through the display.

iFixit gave both the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max a provisional repairability score of 7 out of 10. The group will continue testing after receiving parts and will watch whether the display-frame damage proves widespread.