So, iFixit just tore down the iPhone 17 Pro, and it's fascinating! The big story? Apple's new approach to keeping things cool. They've implemented a vapor chamber cooling system, which, in essence, spreads the heat generated by the A19 Pro chip throughout the phone's aluminum frame.

The way it works is pretty clever. Think of it like this: the heat from the chip is directed to this vapor chamber, which then disperses it all over the phone's body. To see how effective it was, iFixit used a thermal camera to compare the iPhone 17 Pro Max with the iPhone 16 Pro Max. The older model would heat up to almost 38 degrees Celsius and start to slow down (that's throttling), but the 17 Pro Max stayed a cool 34.8 degrees, avoiding any throttling issues.

Delving deeper, iFixit discovered that this cooling system uses a lattice structure between two plates to distribute water. When the water near the A19 Pro chip heats up, it turns into steam, which then travels to the other side, cools down, and condenses back into water droplets. These droplets are then sent back through the lattice, creating a continuous cooling cycle. It's like a tiny, efficient internal radiator!

However, not everything is perfect. When iFixit performed a scratch test on the iPhone 17 Pro's aluminum frame, they found that the camera plateau is quite prone to scratches. Apparently, the sharp edge of the camera area doesn't allow the anodized finish to adhere properly, so the color can easily rub off when it comes into contact with hard objects, like keys. A mechanical engineering professor at Cal Poly called this damage "spalling."

When it comes to fixing the iPhone 17 Pro, things get a little complicated. Apple has moved away from the dual-entry design, which allowed repairs from either the front or the back of the device. Now, you can only access the wireless charging assembly or replace the back glass from the back. If you need to replace the battery, a camera module, or the USB-C port, you'll have to remove the display first.

On the bright side, the battery tray is held in with screws, making battery replacement easier once you're inside. Plus, the battery is encased in metal, which adds an extra layer of safety. But replacing the USB-C port? That requires removing 22 screws, which iFixit found to be a rather tedious process.

Despite these challenges, iFixit gave the iPhone 17 Pro a repairability score of 7 out of 10. While it's slightly less repairable than the iPhone Air, Apple is providing repair manuals from day one, and it seems like their engineers have considered repairability in the design process. So, while it's not perfect, it's definitely a step in the right direction.