iFixit
After almost 4 years Apple has finally updated the Apple TV 4K. This new version features an updated processor, the ability to calibrate your TV using your iPhone, and a redesigned Siri Remote (thank god!). It still looks the same on the outside, but we’re dying to know if they’ve updated anything else in this shiny black box so let’s tear it down!
For high-res photos, more details, and a breakdown of all the silicon we found inside, check out our written teardown:
We used our Pro Tech Toolkit during this Teardown!
https://www.ifixit.com/Store/Tools/Pro-Tech-Toolkit/IF145-307?utm_source=appletv4k2021teardown&utm_medium=Annotation&utm_campaign=YouTube
Thanks to our friends over at Creative Electron for all their cool X-rays!
https://creativeelectron.com/
#AppleTV4K2021 #iFixit #iFixitTeardown
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Edit: at 1:02 we mention that the original Apple TV 4K was the first Apple TV to have a fan, but that's false! We forgot the original Apple TV from way back in 2009 also had a fan.
Great info – thank you. How is the power button attached. The button mysteriously popped out and will not stay put. Would you share a picture of the button when removed? Is there any magic to reinstalling?
My remote won't charge. I bought a second remote that I recharge. Doesn't seem like it was designed to replace the battery. 😡😬
Anyone else here dealing with the remote power button getting stuck? My issue isn't with the battery (which is amazing, thankfully) it's those damned buttons with there extremely low tolerances. They are satisfying when they work, but god forbid it get any sort of gunk in it… especially if you have kids.
Cool. Nice and to the point. Taking mine apart to clean the fan. Seems to be running hot. I had the previous version. Looks exactly the same
thanks for this, now the remote is working again, she likes not juice. cleaning with alcohol, now she is fine
they really should have the same battery life that the siri remote has but on an iphone
Why didn’t you show the CNC housing , it’s the most interesting part of it. No other remote is like it.
I just bought a AppleTV 4k 2nd gen 32gb and the remote direction buttons LEFT , RIGHT and UP don't work. Down still clicks fine. The remote was kinda dirty so I am thinking they spilled soda or something on it. I can't get that direction pad off. I can't find my screen tool for prying it out. Been trying to use hard plastic and thin items but nothing will pop it out. Suggestions on what to buy?
And thanks for showing where the storage is located.. great teardown iFixit!!
Who knew the remote uses IR to communicate to Apple TV
They should have they should have made the battery and lightning port slide out with the bottom bit
Thanks for making this video. I had to clean my direction pad. Apparently some particles had gotten in there and made it so that the down direction didn’t work out very well. watching your video. I was at least able to take that apart and clean it.
Doesn’t show how to pop the click wheel off
What size pentalobe bit does the remote take? Every kit I check skips from 0.8 (too small) to 1.2 (too large) and I can’t find a description in a teardown vid beyond simply “pentalobe bit.”
My daughter spilt juice on the remote and it became super sticky even trying to get as much IPA in between the buttons and the body to disolve the juice. Being afraid of taking apart the remote apart at first but after seeing this video of how it is actually put together. Ive managed to take it all apart, cleaned and reassembled without any damage physically to anything. I used (funny enough) a pad lock shim from Lockpickinglawyers covert companion set. It is extremely thin and had a tiny notch and i slipped it between the circular touch pad at 2oclock to avoid damaging the tab. It popped the button up and i used ifixit plastic triangulae shime to get the button off. With that button out, to remove the rest of thebuttons, i again used covert instrument medium sized lock pick and slipped it into the open slot and pressed the smaller buttons tabs, itll pop up enough for you to have a sharp tweezer or pick to take the button out safely without damaging anything. I did the same for the rest of the buttons, reassemebled and works perfectly fine after you turn the apple tv on and off once so the touch pad recalibrates.
Still working great and better than ever with stable updates.
Honestly if the battery got that bad I’d probably buy a whole new remote, they are $60ish dollars online. I’d assume a new battery would be 15-20, and you can get after market remotes for cheaper, but like others have said the Apple TV will probably die before the remote does. And before I would even consider a battery replacement or new remote I’d probably just use my iPhone as the remote for a while.
All Apple products look really clean inside with that black and gold.
There was a time when Apple (and other brands) explained the glue and unrepairability with better use of space, design and water resistivity. But we truly have reached a point where Apple doesn't even try anymore to convince you that this stuff is necessary and just blatantly make their product turn into unrepairable e-waste after a few years.
Are you going to do a teardown of the new A15 Apple TV?
2:10 What is the blue plastic scrapper kind of tool which you used to remove the apple tv remote buttons ?
What is the size of the driver you used to disassemble the Siri remote?