iPod Nano 3rd Generation Teardown

There it is, in the same style box as the last Nano, but quite a bit shorter and wider.

Here's what you'll find in the box:

• A manual (even smaller than the iPod).
• The usual, much-maligned headphones.
• A USB to iPod cable.
• A dock insert.
• A brand new iPod.

The growing iPod Nano family.

Although the new Nano is shorter and wider than its older siblings, it has approximately the same area (36 square centimeters).

Apple appears to be going in circles. Anodized aluminum, shiny, anodized, shiny...

But of course, it's what's inside that counts.

And here's our first look inside this newest Nano.

The case has eight locking tabs:

• Three on the left, evenly spaced.
• Three on top.
• Two on the right, near the bottom, to make room for the display circuitry at the upper right.

We've removed six Phillips screws fixing the logic board to the casing.

We can now lift the logic board up, but it's still tethered by the visible click wheel cable and the hidden display cable.

We've disconnected the click wheel cable and flipped the board over to disconnect the display cable.

Now we use a spudger to pry up the display, which is held along the case's edge by an adhesive strip.

The first generation Nano's display was attached in exactly the same way. If you're not careful when prying it up, you may crack it.

We're noticing a strong trend as we take apart this iPod: adhesive.

The click wheel is held in place by nothing but a very strong adhesive, which is going to make replacing it difficult. You'll have to get it to stay in place as well as Apple has (i.e. very well).

Here the battery is out of its metal housing, which is attached to the logic board by, that's right, adhesive.

The battery is attached to the logic board by three through-hole solder points, as in the second generation Nano (sorry, no easy replacements).

And here's everything together again, but apart.

A close-up of the logic board's top, which sports an eight gigabyte Samsung flash memory chip and headphone jack.

The headphone jack is soldered to the logic board, as in the first generation Nano, but not in the second.

A close-up of the logic board's bottom.

And it still works! Now, having satisfied our curiosity, we can put some music on it.