The new Apple TV is surprisingly easy to tear open
It's practically a cliché to say that Apple's products are difficult to repair yourself, but that isn't universally true. The crew at iFixit has managed to tear down the new Apple TV before it even ships, and the biggest surprise is simply that it's easy to pry apart. This is a very modular set-top box, and it'd be relatively trivial to replace components like the motherboard or power supply. Even the remote, despite being sealed by adhesive, isn't that hard to dissect. iFixit's only major gripe is that the most crucial parts are integrated on the main board, which could lead to a costly fix if you're just trying to replace a damaged port.
That's not the only mystery laid bare. While it isn't a secret that the Apple TV is using an A8 chip like you find in the iPhone 6, it shares a few other parts in common with other Apple gear. The remote uses the same touchscreen controller you find in the iPhone 5c and iPad Air, and the box itself is using a memory controller that's largely similar to what you see in the 12-inch MacBook. The upcoming Apple TV is something of a patchwork product, then, but you might not mind if it's dramatically more powerful than its predecessor.
