Second iPhone 3G S tear-down filmed with another iPhone 3G S

In a summary of the tear-down's points of interest, the parts and solutions provider notes that opening the iPhone 3G S is as simple as the iPhone 3G, requiring the removal of only two Phillips screws before the two halves of the phone can be easily separated using a suction cup.

Externally, the new iPhone is differentiated only by its new model number — A1303 — and the lettering on the back cover, which is now shiny like the Apple logo. Similarly, the internal physical design is also virtually identical to the iPhone 3G, with iFixit reportedly "struggling to differentiate the two."

Architecturally, nearly all of the handset's components have reportedly been relocated to the front side of the main logic board, including the Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Flash memory chips. The battery is identified as a 4.51 Watt-hours, or 1219 mAh, which is about 6% larger than the iPhone 3G's battery. Also discovered was an additional antenna connection near the dock connector, though its function remains unclear.

As for the iPhone's camera, iFixit claims quality is much improved from the iPhone 3G. For example, close-up shots are now possible down to about 5 cm, and the brightness adjusted well when picking a focus area. Meanwhile, a test comparing the time it takes the Google Earth application to load reveals the new iPhone 3G S to be "bit faster than Apple's claim of 2X speed improvement" over the iPhone 3G.

The iPhone 3G's oleophobic screen "does seem to clean slightly easier than the 3G's normal screen," according to the report. It notes that oil-proof technology evolved from waterproofing but is harder to achieve as oil has a much lower surface tension than water, so it spreads out easier and thus is harder to get rid off.

For more on the iPhone 3G S's internal makeup, see an earlier tear-down conducted by Rapid Repair.