For ten years we honestly kept repeating the same thing: "AirPods with a battery that has outlived its time are, sorry, finished."

For ten years we honestly kept repeating the same thing: "AirPods with a battery that has outlived its time are, sorry, finished." The earbud was designed so that everything inside was held in place permanently: to get to the battery you literally had to take the casing apart piece by piece, cut through plastic and leave nothing but a memory of the device. No repair shop ever brought one back to life after that procedure.

And now, for the first time in ten years, Apple has made the AirPods 5 so that the battery can be replaced without turning the earbud into dust. iFixit showed the teardown, and the main thing there is that the construction is dismantlable. The casing opens without being destroyed, the battery comes out, a new one goes in. After the replacement the earbud lives on and keeps its owner happy. It seems a small thing — but in fact it is the end of an entire era of disposable earbuds.

So when owners of AirPods 4, third or second generation ask: "Can mine be done too now?" — the answer will not change. Their casing is still sealed, and there is only one honest option: throw the earbud away entirely when the battery gives up. The difference between generations is exactly this: battery replacement is only available in the new model. No amount of manual dexterity will turn an old AirPods into a dismantlable one.

What does this mean for you if you already have AirPods 5 in your hands? Two simple conclusions. First: don't run to the first person you meet with a screwdriver — let the battery be replaced not by overconfidence, but by someone who has the tools and the experience. Second: live with your earbuds for longer. Don't leave the case and the earbuds themselves out in the cold, don't bathe them in juices and seas. The battery will thank you, and you won't be replacing it any time soon.

Well, and if the battery does give up, now that is no reason to throw the earbud in the bin. Just bring it in — and we, like heroes who know how to unlock the secrets of technology, will make sure the music comes back.