Apple Watch Series 12 includes two modest changes that make internal repairs less awkward, while Apple Watch Ultra 4 retains essentially the same difficult repair path as earlier Ultra models. Both watches still require technicians to remove the display before reaching the battery.
iFixit’s teardown found a stretch-release battery adhesive tab and a simpler press-style display connector inside Series 12. Those changes helped the base watch rise one point to a repairability score of 4 out of 10.
The pull tab lets a technician release the battery without levering it out with a spudger. Apple also replaced the previous taped ZIF display connector with a press connector secured beneath a bracket, although replacing the display now requires removing the battery.
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Ultra 4 keeps the same screen-first repair path
Ultra 4’s four external pentalobe screws do not provide direct access to the battery. iFixit says removing them exposes the sensor assembly and can compromise water resistance. Battery replacement still begins by heating and lifting the glued display.
The Ultra 4 battery is slightly larger at 2.444Wh, compared with 2.313Wh in Ultra 3. Its repairability score remains 4 out of 10, matching the previous three Ultra generations.
Series 12 also earns 4 out of 10, despite its small improvement. The difficult display opening, limited availability of official parts and lack of Apple Watch coverage in Apple’s Self Service Repair program remain major obstacles.
MacObserver has previously compared the published battery information for both watches and their shared health-sensing system. The teardown adds physical battery capacities that Apple does not list in its specifications.
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