When we took apart Apple’s thinnest-ever pocket computer, we admired its impressive engineering in a surprisingly repairable 5.6mm-thin package. We were even more surprised to discover that the MagSafe charger uses the same battery found inside the phone itself (and they’re even interchangeable!). The initial excitement may have quieted, perhaps too much if reports of production cuts are to be believed.
But our microscope analysis of the iPhone Air’s 3D printed USB-C port set off a small firestorm in the metal 3D printing world. We’ve been talking to a bunch of additive manufacturing experts over the last six weeks, and with Apple confirming some of our key findings, it’s time to share back with the class.
So, how did they do it? How is the first 3D-printed iPhone part made?