iPod touch for 2010 already dissected

iFixit continued its investigation of the latest round of iPods today with a teardown of the fourth-generation iPod touch. Going deeper than the FCC look, the repair shop confirmed that the Wi-Fi antenna has been moved to the front, eliminating the need for the black plastic window on earlier models. It also confirms that Apple is using Toshiba flash memory for the main storage on the iPod; other Apple devices usually depend on Samsung.

Its A4 processor model number is the same one as in the iPad and confirms that it's using 256MB of RAM; the iPhone 4 has a different label to indicate that it has 512MB. Only some components are similar.

Some parts will still be expensive to repair, as the glass and LCD are still fused together and the battery is soldered in to save space. An investigation nonetheless shows that there are some design choices that make it easier to fix for those willing to try. The headphone jack is removable for the first time, and a gap exists around the battery that simplifies prying it loose. Because of the new design, the anti-interference shield is now one of the heaviest components and weighs a tenth of the total body.

The teardown hasn't provided full insights into the design, but it's known Apple has made conscious decisions to keep the price manageable, such as using a non-IPS panel for the LCD as well as using a one-megapixel rear camera and going without autofocus on either camera system. It's not yet known how much the iPod costs to manufacture, though it won't necessarily reflect the actual cost of selling the media player.

by MacNN Staff