The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) briefly published a 163-page document containing electrical schematics for the iPhone 16e. The publication occurred despite a formal request from Apple to keep the information confidential. The documents, which cover iPhone 16e models A3212, A3408, A3409, and A3410, appeared in the FCC’s equipment authorization database over the weekend.
Before the FCC removed the files, they were mirrored by the website fccid.io. The leak was likely caused by a filing error from a certification body or lab. Metadata associated with the filing indicated that both short-term and permanent confidentiality were marked as “no,” which is contrary to Apple’s submitted letter requesting privacy for the schematics and block diagrams. This setting is believed to have triggered the automatic publication of the documents.
For typical iPhone 16e users, the leak is not considered a significant issue. However, the information is valuable for hardware researchers and independent repair shops. The schematics provide detailed board-level information, including antenna locations, connectors, test pads, and hidden traces within the logic board. The documents also show how Apple routes signals between major chips and the layout of test and debug pads.
This level of detail can assist with fault tracing and board-level repairs. It may also help security researchers identify potential hardware-based attack surfaces. As of this report, neither Apple nor the FCC has issued a public comment regarding the incident.
