Technical Writing Team Lead at iFixit
Hello world! I’m Arthur Shi. I’m currently the Technical Writing Team Lead at iFixit. As a senior tech writer, I use my experience and legacy knowledge to train new tech writers, support day-to-day operations, and maintain the high quality standard for our guides. I continue to write repair guides, perform repairability assessments, and research how tech works.
A day at the office: working on Google Pixel 3 guides
Education
I graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo with a master’s degree in electrical engineering, with a focus on control systems and mechatronics. Along the way, I designed high efficiency DC power circuits, grew organic OLED panels in a vacuum, and programmed a small swarm of robots to autonomously navigate and map out a cluttered room. My thesis work involved training neural networks to detect hidden structural faults in commercial buildings using acceleration sensor data. I enjoy both the theoretical and practical hands-on nature of my degree.
Making single pixel OLED panels in vacuum
Experience
I joined iFixit in March 2018 as a technical writer/teardown engineer. I had the illustrious honor of taking countless devices apart, identifying components, figuring out how things work, and showing others how to fix stuff. In addition, I performed electrical analysis and research how emergent tech works.
Much of my time at iFixit was spent instructing people how to fix stuff by writing step-by-step repair guides. So far, I’ve written over 400 guides for devices ranging from Rug Doctors to iPads. As I research, disassemble, and document repair procedures, I’m always learning something new. Working on smartphones necessitated a good understanding of how lithium-ion batteries work; writing Rug Doctor guides taught me how to remove rivets— something I haven’t had to deal with in smartphones…yet.
Installing a rivet onto the Rug Doctor
I enjoy using my electrical engineering background to explain tech in a more accessible manner—like why did Apple throttle old iPhones, what do the chips in a smartphone do, and how do waveguides work.
Identifying chips for the iPhone XS
Favorite Fix
I believe that the most valuable repair guides are ones that show how to fix everyday items, like Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons and Instant Pots.
Testing an Instant Pot sensor for continuity
Interests
I’m curious by nature; I enjoy exploring long-forgotten roads, trying non-mainstream food, and disassembling new smartphones. I like retro, well-designed mechanical devices; I own four typewriters and drive a Suzuki Samurai.
Driving the Sammy on Quatal Canyon road
Ensuring Quality Repair Information on iFixit
The technical writing team works hard to make iFixit the best source for repair. Learn more about the content review process that makes it possible.
Teardowns I've Worked On
My Guides
Guides I've Contributed To
Guides I've Helped Translate
My Favorite Guides
Completed Guides
My Stories
iPhone 5s battery & home button replacement
iPhone 5s Home Button
Thanks for noting this! I think you're right—I'll update the guide!
Hey Reid,
I would suggest blue Loctite or threadlocker. Dab a small drop on each screw before you install them.
Hey Nathan,
You can definitely use a heat gun. Be very careful as the OLED panel is susceptible to heat damage.
Yes, you can definitely use a hair dryer, heat gun, or a heating pad. If you're using a heat gun, be careful not to overheat the display. The surface should feel slightly too hot to the touch.
Hi Lisa!
The NFC and wireless coil attaches to the phone with spring contacts. I'd suggest checking if the contact pads clean and correctly aligned. Here's a step depicting them. Since they're spring contacts, they also require some force to keep them connected to the phone. If you have the back cover open, you can press against the area where the spring contacts are as you test to see if it's a contact issue.
Hi Alex! Thanks for the feedback! Can you relay which replacement guide you found the missing steps in? That would help me very much!
Hi Phil,
I'm really sorry to hear of your experience. It's pretty terrible to get to the end of the repair, only to find that it didn't work. I'll take your comments into consideration and look into improving this guide more.
Hi Moisés!
I haven't worked with the G973F international model, so I don't know if there are any physical incompatibilities. If it fits, it should theoretically work. Please drop an update when you're done!
Thanks for all your comments! I'll amend this step.
Hi Anthony!
It sounds like there's an open circuit somewhere. Double check the wires going to that sensor, and the motherboard socket connecting the wires.
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