The Galaxy S8 is going to be available in stores on Friday, which means it’s time for reviews and teardowns. iFixit already disassembled both the Galaxy S8+ and Galaxy S8, posting details about their internal components as well as do-it-yourself repair tips. In the process, the teardown expert who performed the surgeries found that Samsung’s Galaxy S8 has the same batteries as the Galaxy Note 7. But don’t worry, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re going to explode.
After the Galaxy Note 7 debacle, Samsung announced an eight-step battery quality assurance test meant to prevent future batteries from exploding and catching fire. Just a few days ago, a YouTube channel whose job is to put electric saws through gadgets did so with a Galaxy S8, pinching the Galaxy S8’s battery in the process. What looked like an imminent explosion and fire turned out to be nothing at all — the battery swelled up, there were liquids and a nasty smell, but no explosions.
iFixit isn’t able to tell us more about the internal changes Samsung made to the battery, but the site did reach some interesting conclusions.
“The Samsung Galaxy S8+ battery voltage, capacity, and design tolerances are virtually identical to the Note 7,” the report said. “Our unit’s battery even came from the same manufacturer as some Note7 batteries.”
“The design surrounding the battery — its installed position, spacing, and reinforcement — is very, very similar to the Note 7,” iFixit noted, adding that the battery is still glued in place, buried under other components. That doesn’t mean the Galaxy S8’s battery is going to explode, though. It just makes repairs and replacements more expensive.
The full Galaxy S8+ teardown follows below, in case you’re interested in more details about the way this Android flagship is built.
