Steps 1–15: Teardown
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Popular Repair Guides
iPod Nano 4th Generation Teardown
Introduction
We disassembled this iPod on September 10, 2008.
Tools used in this guide
Teardown
Teardowns provide a look inside a device and should not be used as disassembly instructions.
Paginated Single Page Steps
Step 1
—
Teardown
The iPod Nano 4G!
Many of the new Nano's features are software-based, but there are still a lot of exciting changes inside.
We're excited to see exactly how they integrated the curved glass into the case.
Of course we had to get the orange one.
Step 2
Standard contents included. You have to fork over $80 to get the fancy new headphones with the volume control.
We're working on the disassembly now.
By the way, we'd like to congratulate Apple on their environmental progress. The one aspect they forget to mention is ease of repair to ensure reuse. Fortunately, we've got you covered there.
We'll be making a Fixit Guide for the new Nano soon. Stay tuned!
Step 3
Nano, nano, fat nano, nano.
Step 4
The Nano family, minus the 3rd Gen. The new Nano's screen is almost twice the height of the original Nano's.
Step 5
Apple says it's the "thinnest ever." Sure, if you've got a micrometer. But the curved case sure feels nice!
Step 6
The top of the Nano, after removing the plastic top bezel.
This design is very similar to the 2nd Gen Nano, including the incredibly tiny and difficult-to-remove Phillips screws.
Step 7
No surprises here, just like the other end, except one extra screw.
The 3.2 mm wide dock connector looks pretty big compared to the iPod. Apple's not going to be able to make their iPods much thinner without a new dock connector.
Step 8
Unfortunately, just like every other Nano, this iPod wasn't designed with serviceability in mind. Sliding the insides out of the casing proved quite difficult.
We'll be working on finding a better way to get into this iPod, but for now we'd recommend keeping your new Nano in one piece.
Sorry to be so direct but Steps 1 through 5 are useless. They tell you nothing about taking this item apart. If this information is necessary then perhaps a "History" icon can be created so when you click it it will give this information.
Hi! please, how did u remove the top bezel? does it damage when removing it?
you grab a simple razor or object thats slender and reomve the top beze with it
I found another website that explains the process of taking the Nano 4th gen apart much better than here. Perhaps ifixit can refer to it and make it more clearer to other people how to take them apart much easier than described above.
http://www.rapidrepair.com/guides/nano4g...
Sorry ifixit, but your description wasn't as clear here and i ended up breaking the click wheel cable. don't want others like me to do the same thing here cos your website does have great guides, just this one wasn't as great.
iFixit Staff
The teardown is not meant as a take apart guide. In the introduction there is a warning "Teardowns provide a look inside a device and should not be used as disassembly instructions" and on step 8 "We'll be working on finding a better way to get into this iPod, but for now we'd recommend keeping your new Nano in one piece."
I don't mean to blame ifixit but I also broke the wheel and lock cables following this teardown (teardowns for other devices are much more complete).. now my question is: is there a way to repair, change or solder these really thin cables?
Chris,
Isn't your reply contradictory to goal of iFix?
To make less e-waste by fixing what we have and not trashing it.
I see that at some point iFix will have to decide to either give detailed 'teardowns' or forget doing them.
I too tried to follow these steps to try and dry out a Nano that I found in the rain. I tore the connectors. Now I am wondering whether there are replacement parts for this or if I just made a bunch of 'e-waste'.
iFixit Staff
Creating a guide for anyone to use to take fix a device is difficult and time consuming. It will take us weeks to figure out the best way to take apart a device so that we don't destroy it in the process. However, people are often interested in what is inside a device. We use the "Teardown" section for this. We do not have a safe way of taking apart the device yet but we want to show people what is inside. We warn people not to follow these steps because we were interested in what was inside and did not know how to do it safely. We will create guides for the iPod Nano 4th Generation in the future but are busy with other things. We try very hard to tell people the difference between a "Guide" and a "Teardown." We have many detailed guides for fixing things but the teardowns are meant to "provide a look inside a device and should not be used as disassembly instructions."
You cannot slide this part out all the way until you have disconnected it from the 'click-wheel' and the display screen. Some how you'll have to remove the exterior screen and then partially slide out the interior screen display so your can see the connector ribbion...it is under some tape. Once the screen is disconnected it should slide out with out any problem. BUT you'll need to 'gently' pry-up on the battery to un-stick it from the back of the casing...THEN you can slide the bottom piece out.