Tom Chai

Those are likely to be hardware debug leftovers, or devkit leftovers. Extra hardware features are needed for game developer kits, like a CMOS battery, extra buttons and displays for example.

Xs has 4 antennas, while the XR only has 2.

Easy, you are supposed to desolder the battery and the dock flex first, remove the logic board then access the battery.

Look at the CPU heat spreader, it is much thicker than previous models, is it possible that this is some kind of mini flat heat pipe?

Yeah it is just a case ventilation fan, it doesn’t blow any heatsinks directly. Although with the very low TDP of the processor, a case fan with radiator type heat sink should do the job.

It is not possible to access the internals from the back, the back is locked to the case with screws from the inside.

It’s the top bezel itself, as always.

You need to show the back side of the battery, the supplier name is on the back.

No. Basically not related at all.

Zero! Way to go!