Now that the fifth-generation iPod touch is available, the handy folks over at iFixit have turned it inside out so we can see how it works -- and how easy it is to fix.
The new iPod touch gets a lowly 3 out of 10 repairability rating, but iFixit notes that although replacing components is difficult, it's not altogether impossible. The battery, in particular, comes out fairly easily, thanks to some notches surrounding its perimeter that make it simpler to extract. But since the iPod has no external screws, you need to use a heat gun to get a look inside. And what you'll find is that a lot of components are soldered together.
The device runs on a dual-core A5 processor, like the iPhone 4S. But unlike iPhone models it has only a single antenna (presumably for WiFi). The glass and LCD of the 4-inch Retina display are fused together, but compared to the display assembly of the iPhone 5, iFixit notes, this design is cheaper and less complicated. The iPod touch also has a weaker home button structure than that of the iPhone 5.
For more teardown goodness, head on over to iFixit.
