iPhone 12 Pro Max: Reduced To Rubble By Bonfire

The iPhone had been exposed to extreme thermal damage from the bonfire, which melted critical electronic components and caused the solder joints to liquefy. Components had shifted or completely detached from their original positions on the printed circuit board (PCB). To the untrained eye, the phone resembled a lump of charred metal, with little indication that any of its components could be salvaged.

Adding to the challenge, the device’s central processing unit (CPU)—a critical component for data recovery—had endured temperatures high enough to risk the destruction of its microscopic internal structures. The recovery process would require extraordinary precision, with a razor-thin margin for error.

The DriveSavers engineers approached the task with meticulous attention to detail. First, they carefully removed the critical components from the iPhone’s remains using advanced microsoldering techniques. This process required an extremely controlled heat application to desolder the components without causing additional damage. The team faced an extraordinary challenge: applying just enough heat to separate components from the PCB while avoiding temperatures that could destroy the data.