The Apple Vision Pro, a technical marvel and a repairability nightmare

“Repair doesn’t really seem to have been a focus of Apple’s attention when designing the product“. iFixit’s conclusions following its teardown of the Vision Pro were more or less expected, but they are no less disappointing. Apple’s space computer is , as the site specializing in repair predicted, a machine that is almost impossible to repair. However, it is clear that its dissection proves fascinating.

Modularity… limited

The good news first: a good part of the exterior components of the Vision Pro are modular. Although it unfortunately has a proprietary port resembling the Lightning, the battery is easily replaceable, as it is not integrated into the headset. A simple needle allows you to separate it from its cable. A very good thing, when we know the tendency of lithium batteries to see their performance drop over time. A practice that we would like to see on other autonomous headsets.

Same for the headband to tighten around the skull and the “branches” of the helmet. The first is removed by simply pulling the textile strips at the ends, while the second is ejected with a simple SIM card ejector tool. On the other hand, it is difficult (if not impossible) to change the speakers housed there. Finally, the cushions around the visor are also interchangeable, fortunately for the planet and for hygiene.

A staggering density of technology

Unfortunately, the modular aspect of the helmet stops there. As for the gadget itself, that’s a whole different story. The huge glass panel that seals all the components inside the device is hell to take apart. It is necessary to use a heat scraper as well as several tools to remove the glue that holds it in place, and to be very, very patient so as not to break the glass by prying. Once the first layer is removed… repeat with a second… then a third. Three layers of glass protect the screen visionwhose only purpose is to display the eyes of the person wearing the helmet.

And we must not believe that once the screen is reached, the situation improves. Far from there . It’s even then that the serious things begin. From inside the helmet, the lenses are secured with industrial quantities of cables, screws and tape. Each small piece of metal or plastic will have to be carefully stored and stored to hope to put everything back together in the right order. Concerning the helmet itself, it’s the same thing. Dozens of screws, cables, pieces of tape and pieces of metal hold all the components together. In a super-assembly, iFixit spends a long minute disconnecting cables, unscrewing screws and removing the shims supposed to hold all the hardware in place.

To put it simply, the Vision Pro is a near-impossible machine to take apart if you don’t know exactly what you’re doing and don’t have quite the right tools. The density of technology per square centimeter would be truly admirable if it didn’t literally prevent anyone from repairing the gadget. iFixit admits: “Apple has succeeded in packing the power of a Mac and the performance of a new special augmented reality chip into a computer that you can wear on your face“. The ace, “reparability is not really there“.

Almost zero reparability

Only the X-ray analysis of the machine truly does justice to the amount of silicon and engineering that went into creating the Vision Pro. So there is no question of attempting a home repair and, unfortunately, sending your headset to an Apple Store in case of problems could cost you a lot. However, iFixit still gives the Vision Pro a not-so-abominable score of 4/10 on its reparability scale.

However, as the company specifies, the rating was not easy to assign. “The world of VR is so cutting edge that everything […] varies considerably from one device to another and from one generation to another.“It is therefore complicated to award a very precise score compared to other competing products. Because yes, the iFixit scale is relative to the product category and not absolute. A smartphone rated 4/10 will therefore not necessarily be as difficult to dismantle as a helmet rated 4/10.

The Apple Vision Pro therefore receives a rating a little below average, within a category of products that are already terribly unrepairable, like the Meta Quest Pro. “We must take into account the hardware currently dominating the market, and on the other hand, ensure that we do not unfairly penalize the intuitive technology of tomorrow’s future VR headsets.“, specifies iFixit.

That said, it’s not all doom and gloom. Despite its technical complexity, the Vision Pro makes innovative choices in the field, notably thanks to the easily replaceable battery and earpads. However, iFixit’s conclusion is far from cheerful: “Ultimately, Apple consciously developed a device with replaceable parts. It’s huge! The bar really is that low, ladies and gentlemen.“.