Although in terms of design, the third generation Apple Watch differs little from the second, in terms of characteristics, the new version is significantly superior to its predecessor. Visually, iFixit was able to demonstrate this using their famous method: they simply took a new watch with LTE compatibility and took it apart to a screw.
Overall Apple did an excellent job to fit into essentially the same LTE modem case, new antennas, an electronic SIM card, a couple of sensors and a battery with a larger capacity. However, after analysis, several changes were revealed, which she Apple herself did not say anything about during the announcement.
If you are interested in the model number of the device, it is printed next to the “secret” diagnostic port on the bottom of the watch: A1889.
Another interesting fact: to free up some space, the engineers Apple removed one of the display controllers. It is unknown how I managed to make the screen work without it. And if it was not originally required, then why was it installed in the first and second revisions of the device? One way or another, now there is only one controller and one NFC sensor left behind the display. A new ST MicroelectronicsST33G1M2 chip was found on the main iFixit board and it was suggested that it is he who is responsible for the operation of the electronic SIM card. Nearby are a couple of chips necessary for LTE operation, a Wi-Fi module and, of course, a new S3 processor. According to Apple, it runs 70% faster than the S2 used in the second generation of Apple smartwatches.
Apple also got rid of the small air vent previously located next to the microphone to make room for the altimeter. This sensor is used to measure the lift height. The vent hole is now located near the diagnostic port.
Despite all the new sensors, the engineers managed to fit a 279 mAh battery into the case. This is 4% more than the previous generation, and 32% more than the original Apple Watch. The manufacturer promises that the new model will work up to 18 hours on a single charge. But this only applies to the Wi-Fi model. Just an hour of LTE talk will be enough to completely discharge the device.
As for maintainability, everything is surprisingly good. iFixit gave Watch Series 3 a score of 6 out of 10, with 10 being the easiest repair. Experts note that the strap is very convenient and easy to replace, and the same goes for the internal components. The difficulty lies only in overcoming the lid and gaining access to the “insides” of the watch.