What Parts do You Need to Make Your Own iPhone?

What are all the different parts you need to build your own iPhone 7? Sure, the main parts you need are a logic board, screen, battery, and case, but what about the rest? You guys kept emailing, messaging, and leaving comments asking me, so I finally sat down and made a list of all the parts.

I hope this is helpful.  If you see something that’s missing, leave a comment or send me an email and I’ll try and update it.

All of the parts for an iPhone 7 spread out

 

Logic board (and touch id button)

iPhone 7 logic board and white touch id button with rose colored ring

iPhone 7 logic board and touch id button

The heart of the phone (and the brains). This is the main circuit board that contains the CPU, RAM, flash storage, and the majority of the other sensors and circuitry. It’s the most expensive part of the phone, the most fragile, and also the hardest to get. It’s cryptographically paired to the touch id button, so you MUST buy them together if you want the home button OR touch id to work.

 

 

 

Case (and case accessories)

iPhone rose colored 7 case

iPhone 7 case

The metal shell the phone is contained in. The part with the big apple logo. You can get them in a variety of colors and designs, not just the stock Apple colors/designs. There are a bunch of small fittings and accessories you need with the case – the button covers, sim card tray, rear camera lens cover, flash cover, two vents that go in the bottom of the phone, and a couple other more optional fittings.

 

 

Battery

iPhone 7 battery

iPhone 7 battery

Pretty straightforward.

There are lots of aftermarket batteries, in addition to the ones made by Apple. It’s a bit hard to tell whether a battery is good quality without charging/discharging, so buyer beware.

 

 

Screen

White iPhone 7 screen

iPhone 7 screen

The main screen assembly. Usually you buy this with the lcd, backlight, touch sensor, and 3d touch sensor all laminated into one assembly. You still need to add a few parts – the touch id button, front camera cable assembly, and screen protective metal shield.

 

 

Screen protective metal shield

iPhone 7 screen metal protective shield

iPhone 7 screen metal protective shield

This goes on the back of the screen to protect the LCD/backlight, and is often not included with the screen for reasons that escape me.

 

 

 

 

Rear camera

iPhone 7 rear camera

iPhone 7 rear camera

The main camera. Nuff said.

 

 

 

 

Front camera cable assembly

iPhone 7 front camera cable assembly

iPhone 7 front camera cable assembly

This is the cable assembly that is installed on the top of the screen. It has the front facing camera, contacts for the earpiece speaker, a light sensor, etc.

 

 

 

Earpiece speaker

iPhone 7 earpiece speaker

iPhone 7 earpiece speaker

The speaker that is installed in the screen, for the earpiece when you hold the phone up to your head to talk.

 

 

 

Top flex cable assembly

iPhone 7 top flex cable

iPhone 7 top flex cable

This is installed in back of the case. Has the actually buttons for lock, volume up/down, and the silent switch. Also has the flash and a microphone.

 

 

Bottom flex cable assembly

iPhone 7 bottom flex cable

iPhone 7 bottom flex cable

This is also installed in the back of the case. Has the lightning dock, several microphones, and connections for the taptic engine and main speaker.

 

 

 

 

Main speaker

iPhone 7 main speaker

iPhone 7 main speaker

Pretty self evident.

 

 

 

Taptic engine

iPhone 7 taptic engine

iPhone 7 taptic engine

Makes the phone vibrate, and simulates the clicking feeling of the home button.

 

 

 

Brackets

iPhone 7 brackets

iPhone 7 brackets

There are a bunch of little sheet metal and plastic brackets for both holding things in place, as well as electrically connecting various parts of the phone.

Screws

There are a ton of screws of various different head types, sizes, and diameters. It is CRUCIAL to get the right screw in the right place, at least for some of the screws, as you can irreparably damage the logic board if you use too long a screw in several places. Best to buy a kit containing all the right screws for the phone model you’re assembly, or better yet, two or three, as you’re guaranteed to drop some screws, and looking for them on the floor really sucks.

Adhesives

There are two main adhesives you need – the battery strips for holding down the battery, and the screen gasket for sealing the screen. Strictly speaking, you can get away without either, but the battery strips prevent the battery from getting knocked around inside the case and getting damaged, and the screen gasket helps hold the screen flush, and adds some water resistence. Best to install them once you’ve fully assembled the phone and test that everything is working to your satisfaction.

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