Fourth-Generation iPod Shuffle Teardown Unsurprisingly Reveals Tiny Components

[MacRumors]

Earlier today, we posted some photos of the new fourth-generation iPod shuffle, showing off the unboxing and some comparisons to other iPod models.

Unsurprisingly, iFixit is close behind with a detailed teardown of the diminutive music player. It took a half hour of prying and heat application to open the device's case, but they were finally able to gain access to its internals. Among the interesting items of note:

- With the difficult-to-open case, a battery soldered to the logic board, and tiny connectors, the new iPod shuffle will prove to be quite difficult to repair. And with a selling price of only $49, the device will most likely be considered disposable by most consumers should it break.

- The tiny battery offers only 0.19 watt-hours of power, but given the lack of a display, that's enough to offer up to 15 hours of music playback.

- The interior of the device basically consists of the logic board and battery sitting behind the navigation control buttons.

Article Link: Fourth-Generation iPod Shuffle Teardown Unsurprisingly Reveals Tiny Components

 

[kernkraft]

Ah, is this the one where one of the main features is 'Buttons'?




I'm sorry, but...


IDIOTS!

 

[ChazUK]

Now that is compact! I often overlook what goes into these tiny devices but teardowns like this give me the chance to appreciate it.

 

[DylanLikesPorn]

This is one instance where tiny is good.

Okay Apple you got me. I will end up buying my first shuffle.

 

[Brinkman]

Awesome. I'll have to look up the 3rg gen tear down now.

 

[mattwolfmatt]

Why does everyone complain when they do the "Will it Blend" feature (destroying an iphone or ipod) but when they do a teardown, everyone loves it. I propose the Will it Blend company gets way more press than iFixIt.

 

[iPhoneHome]

Is this for sale already?

 

[Merthyrboy]

Thats just awesomely small. Amazing how people can develop these things, must have steady hands

 

[swarmster]

Why does everyone complain when they do the "Will it Blend" feature (destroying an iphone or ipod) but when they do a teardown, everyone loves it. I propose the Will it Blend company gets way more press than iFixIt.

Because you learn something from a teardown?

 

[Beligerent]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_0_2 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/532.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0.5 Mobile/8A400 Safari/6531.22.7)

Sounds like an Onion headline lol...

 

[mytakeontech]

Why does everyone complain when they do the "Will it Blend" feature (destroying an iphone or ipod) but when they do a teardown, everyone loves it. I propose the Will it Blend company gets way more press than iFixIt.

It is just a different way to look at internals!

 

[milbournosphere]

I'm continuously amazed at how they engineer these small devices. I cannot wait to see the insides of the new iPod Nano.

 

[skeep5]

do not inhale iPod shuffle

 

[Dwight Schrute]

Is this macrumors.com or theonion.com?

 

[Caliber26]

Makes me think of...

 

[2992]

"[...]Tiny Components", as expected...
What else?

Edit: this (below link) mp3 player is like 4 years old or more, and gives way more than what this iShuffle can. Including music quality...
http://www.pocketables.net/2006/11/review_iriver_s.html

Oh, and that USB to iShuffle connector w/cable, well, this one looks better: http://pocketables.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/s10aboxusb.jpg

 

[GeekLawyer]

Is this macrumors.com or theonion.com?

Today, it's both. Ah, convergence bliss.

 

[DylanLikesPorn]

"[...]Tiny Components", as expected...
What else?

A better headline would be: "Fourth-Generation iPod Shuffle Teardown Surprisingly Reveals Tiny Components"

 

[jamesnajera]

Why does everyone complain when they do the "Will it Blend" feature (destroying an iphone or ipod) but when they do a teardown, everyone loves it. I propose the Will it Blend company gets way more press than iFixIt.

It teaches us what the internals are and the product is not destroyed. iFixit can put it back together and use it.

 

[baryon]

It's super nice! I like the buttons, since you wear the device anyway, you always have access to the buttons. Putting them on the earphones was not the best idea, because you had 3 buttons instead of 5, making you have to press the middle button twice or even three times, or hold it to get various functions, which is a bit annoying. And you couldn't just use any earphones you wanted.

 

[I is Mac]

Here's one item you can be sure will be replaced under AppleCare right away.

 

[ouimetnick]

Thats just awesomely small. Amazing how people can develop these things, must have steady hands

Its all done with machines. Not by hands. Its incredible how much you can pack into something that small though. With screws THAT tiny and ribbon cables that small, I wish iFixit luck putting it back together.

 

[axual]

Article title ...

Can't you do any better with the article title ...

First, Fourth-Generation is not to be hyphenated.

Second, if you're going with a cute title, why not say "Fourth Generation iPod Shuffle Teardown Shows Components So Small They Can't Be Seen".

 

[KindredMAC]

Where's the vibration servo????

 

[cvaldes]

Is this for sale already?

Yes, Apple started taking orders last Wednesday and started shipping recently. According to another thread, it is already arriving for some customers.

According to Apple, there should be some in bricks-and-mortar Apple Stores later this week.