8GB, 32GB, or 64GB memory sizes

The 4th generation iPod Touch is available in three memory sizes (8GB, 32GB, and 64GB). The 8GB Touch sells for $229 (US), the 32GB version costs $299, and the 64GB Touch will set you back $399.

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Earphones and 30-pin dock connector to USB cable

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iPod Touch, iPhone 4, and original iPhone

The 4th generation iPod Touch (left) is thinner than the iPhone 4 (center) and original iPhone (right).

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Heating the adhesive

To begin disassembling the 4th generation iPod Touch, you’ll need to use a heat gun or hair dryer to heat the adhesive that holds the front glass panel and display to the metal case.

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Removing the front glass and display

Once you’ve sufficiently warmed the adhesive, you can use a thin metal blade (shown here) or iPod Touch case opening tool to gently pry the front glass panel away from the metal case. WARNING: Be very careful not to insert the tool into the iPod Touch too far–especially along the sides. If you do, you could damage the display. You should really only pry the front panel from the bottom where the Home button is.

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Front panel ready to be lifted up

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Lifting up on the front glass panel

Once you’ve freed the front panel from the adhesive, you can lift it up from the metal case. Take care not to pull too hard. The front panel is still connected to the main logic board via several extremely thin ribbon cables.

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Display and front panel ribbon cables

The 4th generation iPod Touch’s display is fused to the front glass panel. If you break the display, you’ll likely need to replace the entire panel. Unfortunately, several of the front panel’s ribbon cables are attached to the underside of the logic board.

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Removing the EMI shield

Before we can remove the logic board, we’ll need to remove the large, metal EMI shild that covers the battery and most of the board. At least 10 Phillips #00 screws of different lengths hold the shield to the case.

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Prying off the EMI shield

Even with the screws removed, the EMI is difficult to pry loose. It is held in place with adhesive and small tabs along the side.

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EMI shield still attached

A thin piece of copper foil holds the EMI shield to the iPod Touch’s logic board. So don’t just yank it free.

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Torn ribbon cable

Well, this is a first. While removing the EMI shield, I apparently tore the very thin ribbon cable that connected the volume buttons to the logic board.

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Ready to remove the copper film

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EMI shield front

The contact for the Home button is located at the bottom of the EMI shield.

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EMI shield back

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With the EMI shield removed

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Front panel connectors - Wi-Fi antenna

The front panel is attached to the main logic board by three ribbon cables. You can pop one of the connectors free without much effort, but removing the other two will require us to remove the logic board. The thin copper ribbon cable is likely the Wi-Fi antenna.

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3.5mm stereo headphone jack

Before we can remove the logic board, let’s remove some of the other components–starting with the 3.5mm headphone jack. There another Phillips #00 screw here. Might as well remove it now.

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3.5mm stereo headphone jack - Back

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3.5mm stereo headphone jack - Front

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Volume button contacts

The volume button contacts are covered with a think metal shield. I removed it to ensure that it wouldn’t block the logic board’s removal.

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Front panel ribbon cables

As the front panel is still connected to the logic board with two extremely thin ribbon cables, I’ll need to be extra careful when I start prying out the logic board.

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Front panel ribbon cable connections

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Removing the main logic board

Starting at the top of the iPod Touch, I gently lifted up on the logic board until I would rotate it away from the case. Much to my annoyance, there seemed to be more adhesive hold the logic board in place. Apple clearly DID NOT design the 4th generation iPod Touch to be user-serviceable.

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Battery stuck to case and soldered to logic board

As the battery is soldered to the logic board, we’ll need to remove it from the case before the board can be totally free. Unfortunately, the battery is stuck to the case with some pretty strong adhesive. You’ll need to pry it loose.

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Display panel, logic board, battery, and speaker

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Nearly empty metal case

With most of the internal components removed, only the two cameras and button assemblies remain in the iPod Touch’s metal case. We’ll remove those components in a bit. But for now, let’s look at the logic board and attached hardware.

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Display connector

There are two connectors remaining between the front panel and logic board. The connector on the thin copper-color ribbon cable should pop loose. Unfortunately, the thin black cable in the center is a bit more challenging.

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Remove the copper film that cover the display connector

A thin strip of copper film covers the black cable’s connector. With a little patience, you should be able to remove the film without damaging the connector or the cable.

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Disconnecting the final display connector

With the copper film removed, you can disconnect the last ribbon cable from the logic board.

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Display and front panel - Front

The iPod Touch’s retina display is fused to the front panel. Replacing a damaged screen will involved replacing the entire part.

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Display and front panel - Back

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Cameras and button assemblies

Before we look at the chips on the logic board, let’s remove the iPod Touch’s cameras and buttons from the metal case.

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White plastic spacer

There is a small, white plastic spacer that is mounted next to the front-facing camera. I removed it before disconnecting the cameras.

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Removing the rear-facing camers

The iPod Touch’s rear-facing camera is hidden behind a small metal shield. You’ll need to remove the shield, he disconnect the camera’s connector before lift the camera away from the metal case.

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Rear-facing camera - Front

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Rear-facing camera - Back

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Removing the front-facing camera

The iPod Touch’s front-facing camera is easily removed by disconnecting its cable from the logic board.

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Front-facing camera

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Connector for Volume and Sleep/wake buttons

About the only thing left inside the iPod Touch’s metal case are the cable for the Sleep/wake and volume buttons and the buttons themselves. This very thin ribbon cable is glued to the case and should have been removed with the logic board–as its connector is soldered to the board. Unfortunately, I accidentally tore the cable when trying to remove the iPod Touch’s large metal EMI shield.

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Button connector removed

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Button connector and volume buttons

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Logic board EMI shield

Most of the main chips on the logic board are covered with a metal EMI shield. We’ll need to pry the shield off to see the chips.

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Chips revealed

Luckily the logic board’s EMI shield is too difficult to remove.

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EMI shield removed

With the shield removed, we can see three large chips.

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A4 processor, NAND Flash memory and other chips

The large chip in the center is the Apple A4 processor, which is also used in the iPhone 4 and iPad. To the left is the large Toshiba NAND flash memory module (TH58NVG6D2FLA49). The metal plate in the top right corner of the logic board likely covers the wireless chips.

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Audio codec and gyroscopes

Another small metal EMI shield covers three chips on the lower half of the logic board.

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Audio codec and gyroscope

The chip on the far left is likely the audio codec, and the chip in the center is likely the gyroscope.

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Logic board - lower half - Back

Not much to see on the back of the the logic board’s lower half, except the solder points for the speaker and battery.

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Logic board - top half - Back

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