iPhone 16e schematics leaked ‘accidentally’ despite Apple’s request

Apple iPhone 16e

The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) briefly published a 163-page PDF containing electrical schematics of the iPhone 16e, ignoring Apple’s request for confidentiality. The documents, which covered models A3212, A3408, A3409 and A3410, were mirrored on fccid.io before being taken down.

The filing included a letter from Apple specifically asking that schematics and block diagrams remain confidential. However, due to what appears to be an error during the filing process, both short-term and permanent confidentiality were marked as “no” in the metadata. This mistake triggered an automatic upload to the FCC’s public database, making the documents temporarily accessible and downloadable.

For everyday iPhone 16e users, the leak is unlikely to have a direct impact. But the schematics provide detailed information at the board level, including antenna layouts, connectors, block diagrams, test pads, and signal routing across the logic board. Such insights are particularly valuable to hardware researchers, security analysts and independent repair specialists, as they make fault tracing and board repair easier while revealing potential hardware vulnerabilities.

The release also sheds light on how Apple designs its complex multi-layer logic boards, exposing details that the company usually keeps under strict wraps. While Apple has always guarded internal design data, these files could aid those working in third-party repair or reverse engineering.

At present, neither Apple nor the FCC has issued a comment on the incident. The temporary publication appears to be the result of a procedural slip by a certification lab or body during the equipment authorisation process, rather than an intentional disclosure.