8GB and 16GB versions available

The 6th generation iPod Nano is available in seven colors and two memory sizes (8GB or 16GB). The 8GB Nano sells for $149 (US). The 16GB version costs $179 (US).

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Headphones and dock connector to USB cable

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Display sticker

A removable sticker illustrates the iOS-like icons used by the iPod Nano’s GUI.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Clip

Like the 2010 iPod Shuffle, the Nano has a large clip on the back.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Heating the touchscreen adhesive

Unlike the 4th generation iPod Shuffle, the 6th generation iPod Nano’s enclosure has no visible entry points. Assuming that the touchscreen was held on with adhesive, I heated the Nano to soften the glue. You could use a heat gun for this task, but I prefer a hair dryer for gadgets like the Nano. Heat guns can get very hot, very quickly. Too much heat can ruin sensitive components.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Pry the touchscreen away from the enclosure

With the adhesive softened, I used a very thin metal blade to gently pry the touchscreen away from the iPod Nano’s enclosure. Take care when doing this not to insert the metal blade or plastic spudger too far into the Nano. You don’t want to damage the internal components.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Our first look inside the iPod Nano

The touchscreen is attached to the logic board via a thin ribbon cable–located along the side below the volume buttons.

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Touchscreen ribbon cable

Take care not to damage the display’s ribbon cable when prying it loose from the enclosure. We’ll need to disconnect the cable before completely removing the screen.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Metal shield

A metal shield covers the logic board and most of the components inside the iPod Nano.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Removing the first shield screw

There are two screws that hold the metal shield to the iPod Nano’s enclosure. I used a Phillips #000 bit to remove these and the other screws inside the Nano.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Second shield screw

The second screw is located in the corner opposite the first.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Metal shield - Front

With both screws removed, you should be able to left the shield away from the iPod Nano’s aluminum enclosure.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Metal shield - Back

The side of the shield facing the battery and logic board is covered with a black material.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Metal shield removed

With the shield removed, we get our fist look inside the 6th generation iPod Nano. After taking with photo, I disconnected the TFT display and headphone control button cables from the logic board.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

TFT Display removed

The iPod Nano’s TFT display is connected to the logic board with two connectors. Using a thin plastic blade, you should be able to pop both connectors free without using too much force.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

TFT display - Front

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TFT display - Back

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Display removed

The space inside the iPod Nano’s enclosure is almost evenly split between the battery and logic board.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Removing the logic board screw

A single Phillips screw hold the logic board to the aluminum enclosure.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Lift the battery out of the enclosure

Like the 4th generation iPod Shuffle, the 6th generation Nano has a battery that’s soldered to the logic board. Adhesive holds the battery to the enclosure, but I was able to pry it loose without damaging it or the wires.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

30-pin connector tape and rubber gasket

A small strip of black tape and a rubber gasket are attached to the enclosure and the 30-pin connector on the logic board. To remove the logic board, you’ll need to pull the tape away from the logic board, enclosure, or both. I pulled the tape away from the logic board and left it attached to the enclosure.

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Logic board and battery - Front

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Main chips

On the front of the main logic board are four chips of interest, with the following markings:

?Apple
339S0104
YGC7 1028
K4X51323P1
YRF 008A3 ARM
N2N24M03 1031

?33753907
1025
A 04
629749

A2L

121Z
J0FG

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Logic board and battery - Back

The iPod Nano’s has a 3.7V, 0.385 Whr Lithium-ion battery. We’ll need to remove that white sticker to get a better look at the Nano’s memory chip.

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Storage chip

The large storage chip dominates the back of the iPod Nano’s logic board. Our 8GB model had a chip with the following markings:

SanDisk
0501-008G
CHINA
0276D3P14S

Two other chips have the following markings:

338S0783-B1
10298HLT

0650
D0YF
028

The marking on a fourth Apple chip were obscured by a crusty substance that I didn’t want to scrape off.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Enclosure with headphone jack and control button contacts

With the battery and main logic board removed, we can detach the exterior clip and remove the headphone jack / control button assembly.

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Black tape

This photo shows the black tape and rubber gasket that is still attached to the enclosure (top of image).

Another strip of black tape covers the contacts for the control buttons (bottom of image).

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Clip screws

Like the 4th generation iPod Shuffle, the Nano’s external clip is attached to the enclosure with four Phillips screws. Three of the screws are readily visible, but one is hidden under a ribbon cable on the headphone jack and control button contact assembly.

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Clip - Inside

The iPod Nano’s spring-loaded clip is nearly identical to the one on the 4th generation iPod Shuffle.

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Clip - Outside

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Removing the control button contact tape

I was able to pull the the black tape away from the control button contact assembly and the iPod Nano’s enclosure without tearing it.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Control button contact tape

I’ll put the tape back when I reassemble the iPod Nano.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Headphone jack and control button contact assembly screws

Four tiny Phillips screws hold the headphone jack / control button contact assembly to the iPod Nano’s enclosure. I was able to remove them with a Phillips #000 bit.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Removing the headphone jack and control button contact assembly

With the screws removed, you can pull the control button contact / headphone jack assembly away from the iPod Nano’s aluminum enclosure. Some of the ribbon cables are held against the enclosure with adhesive, so take care not to rip them during the removal.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Headphone jack and control button contacts removed

Unlike the 4th generation iPod Shuffle, the Nano’s headphone jack and control button contacts are part of a single unit. The Shuffle’s jack was attached directly to the logic board.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Headphone jack and control button contacts

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Empty enclosure

There not much left in the enclosure.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler