How to Fix an iPhone 4s Battery Abstract Ever since iPhones were released to the public on June 29, 2007, it has been a huge hit ever since. However, every year since 2007, Apple has been releasing newer versions of iPhones to meet consumers' wants. The problem is people most of the time, people who have iPhones and see that their battery level gets low often decide to throw away their iPhone or recycle it when they are purchasing a new model. Therefore, it leads to throwing away their iPhones in landfills or recycling centers. These iPhones then sit in these landfills and start to deteriorate or in these recycling centers where their salvage for parts is unfavorable. While most new iPhones, most of the time, get additional neat perks like being faster, cleaner display, or better camera, it does not always need just to be used for everyday purposes. The problem with my iPhone 4s is that since it's been a couple of years since I have used it, the battery drains by itself even though I haven't used it at all. The solution is that I can fix my iPhone 4s by opening it up and changing the battery out with a battery found online like stores like amazon. This would help show people that minor fixes like replacing your battery can save people money and benefit the environment or be repurposed for second-hand consumers. Objectives iPhone 4s should be repaired because: ● It could be sold as a second-hand item if the owner plans to keep it anymore. ● iPhone that end up in these landfills or recycling centers release many toxic chemicals into the air when being salvaged for parts or losing about 30% of the metal when being recovered. This guide is helpful for real people because it: ● It is easy for people to find a battery replacement on websites like amazon. ● It also can be sold to second-hand consumers for some pocket cash. ● It also can expect the user to have another 2-4 years of life experience without worrying about your battery level getting lower. Background/Introduction iPhones have become a big hit since it was released on June 29, 2007, with many new generations of iPhones coming after each other every year. People nowadays look forward every year in September to see what the latest iPhone is to replace their old one due to the low battery percentage. While iPhones are improving every year with a neat upgrade, people forget that the older iPhones still work and are a newer model. For example, in the article "Potential reuse of small household waste electrical and electronic equipment: Methodology and case study," they state that people often do not comprehend that maybe the electronic device thrown out can be fixed. The author says, "Many items of EEE are discarded in different conditions: with minimal use, without considering their repair or at their proper end of life (EoL)." Therefore, this shows that even if there is minor damage like the battery stopping working or a cracked screen. People often throw it out without considering it worth any more. This creates a mindset in society that we can throw it out if the electronic device stops working. Therefore, people should consider the idea of repair because it is good for the environment and the world. For this fix, my proposal is changing my iPhone 4s battery is a simple task and could be fixed by practically anyone with the right equipment. This guide shows people that even if an iPhone gets upgraded every year, the older generation model still performs and the newer ones. This fix costs less than twenty dollars and can even come with every tool needed together. In addition, this would save you money, but it could also be sold for more than the fix or help the environment by not letting these harmful chemicals get into our environment from the recyclers salvaging it for parts. One example is most of the time; people don't realize that even when they say I am going to recycle for the environment, it isn't always what they perceive would happen. The "E-waste: An Emerging Health Risk" by Megan Avakin shows the adverse effects of recycling. The author states, "E-waste is often exported to developing countries where workers use primitive recycling techniques, such as acid leaching and cable burning, to recover gold, silver, copper, and other valuable metals." Therefore, this shows the danger of recycling because usually harvesting these materials from electronic waste uses dangerous chemicals to extract these metals. In addition, most of these recycling centers are located near farms and rivers, leading to these acids leeching leaking into the soil and river polluting them, making them dangerous to use for basic living necessities. Therefore, this is shown in the journal article "Export of Toxic Chemicals – A Review of the Case of Uncontrolled Electronic-Waste Recycling," the author shows the effects that electronic waste recycling centers brought on the country Guyia in China. The author expresses, "The techniques used in recycling of e-waste are often primitive, without the appropriate facilities to safeguard environmental and human health." It is shown because many of these recycling centers are located on farmland or near riverbeds. These pollutants can easily seep into the water and cause damage to the healthy people living there and the environment around it. Overall, electronic waste recycling is not the best solution for the environment and people's health. Lastly, iPhone's battery is usually made with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that helps be small and keep a significant charge; however, they contain precious metals inside them. For example, the article "Used Lithium-Ion Batteries" by the United States Environmental Protection Agency expresses the importance of the valuable metals that make up a lithium-ion battery and the importance of recycling it. The article states, "When these batteries are disposed of in the trash, we lose these critical resources outright." This shows the importance of when dealing with lithium batteries to recycle them so that we do not take more out of the Earth that is not needed. According to iFixit, many metals that we mine are made for these products like phones and other electronic devices; however, if we dispose of these electronics, we lose the valuable metals inside most of the time when recycling. At the same time, this is the case with batteries; it is much more manageable if the problem only requires one part instead of having a whole phone to disassemble because this takes more labor and resources to extract from the iPhone. Overall, while lithium batteries are essential for electronic devices to function, they will benefit the world we live in if people dispose of them properly. Methods 1. First, we need to remove the bottom pentalobe screws at the bottom of the iPhone using a pentalobe screwdriver. 2. Open the back screen with the Apple logo facing up by using your two fingers and slide the screen upwards. 3. Then, separate the back screen by lifting the end of the screen hanging out upwards to separate it. 4. Next, use your Phillip head screwdriver, locate the battery panel, and remove the two screens. Note: The top screw is a 1.7mm Phillips screw, and the bottom is a 1.5mm Phillips screw. Both can be removed with the same screwdriver. 5. Next, use your prying tool to push the pressure contact to the side to remove it. 6. After lifting the battery panel on the iPhone, start by disconnecting the battery from the phone. 7. Use the pull tab to remove the battery, lifting it upwards until the adhesive detaches from the battery. 8. Next, replace the battery by putting the new battery in the hole where the old battery was located. 9. After placing the pressure sensor back into the hole where the bottom Phillips screw was, align it together. 10. Connect the battery panel back onto the phone, place the two Phillips screws back in the correct slot, and screw the back using the Philips screwdriver. Note: The top screw is a 1.7mm Phillips screw, and the bottom is a 1.5mm Phillips screw. Both can be removed with the same screwdriver. 11. Place the back screen back on and tie the slide downward. 12. Lastly, place the pentalobe screw back in and screw it back together using the pentalobe screw. Required material ● Pentalobe screwdriver ● Prying tool ● iPhone 4s ● iPhone 4s battery ● Phillips screwdriver Significance This fix is very important for the environment because these iPhone 4s could be sold or used again by the owner would mean less of them would end up in landfills or recycling centers which is better for the environment. Therefore, this means people wouldn’t have to throw away such a powerful device because of a bit of a problem with the iPhone. This would significantly reduce the number of people who would need to get the new generation of iPhone, and it would make Apple have to take more time creating the next generation iPhone which would give the consumer a better iPhone than just one that comes out every year with slight improvement. This would also give more value out of what the consumer because the iPhone does cost a heft penny to get. This repair is straightforward and easy to do for anyone to perform. Every day our e-waste gets bigger and more prominent due to the amount of e-waste we produce every day due to people throwing away their old devices and other household appliances. This leads third world countries to salvage these parts to recycle them; however, people who recover these materials do not do them in favorable conditions for the environment. Wong claims, “Incomplete combustion of e-waste in open air and dumping of processed materials are the major sources of various toxic chemicals.” This leads to harmful chemicals like metalloids, flame retardants, and many other substances entering the atmosphere. This adds to the problem of damaging the environment compared to helping it by salvaging it. In addition, the iFix website gives statistics on how long an average person keeps their iPhone. It states, “34 months is how short the average American keeps a cell phone.” This just adds to the problem because these phones lead to these landfills and recycling centers which in turn cause more problems to our environment. Overall, these recycling centers do not help the problem of e-waste but create another problem from it. References Bovea, María D., et al. “Potential Reuse of Small Household Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment: Methodology and Case Study.” Waste Management, vol. 53, July 2016, pp. 204–17, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2016.03.038. “E-Waste: An Emerging Health Risk.” Global Environmental Health Newsletter, https://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/programs/geh/geh_newsletter/2014/2/spotlig ht/ewaste_an_emerging_health_risk_.cfm. Accessed 17 Nov. 2021. “Repair Is Noble.” IFixit, https://www.ifixit.com/Right-to-Repair. Accessed 3 Dec. 2021. “Used Lithium-Ion Batteries.” US EPA, 16 May 2019, https://www.epa.gov/recycle/used-lithium-ion-batteries. Wong, M. H., et al. “Export of Toxic Chemicals – A Review of the Case of Uncontrolled Electronic-Waste Recycling.” Environmental Pollution, vol. 149, no. 2, Sept. 2007, pp. 131–40, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2007.01.044.
