Repair experts iFixit has carried out their inevitable teardown of the new iPod Touch, with the firm finding that the device is fairly tough to repair.
They gave the 5th generation iPod Touch a rating of 3 on a repairability scale of 10 (10 being the easiest). While it's not impossible to open up the device's case, the site noted that it's certainly going to take some effort to do so.
The battery is surrounded by notches which leads to a straightforward removal. Elsewhere, though, the microphone, volume buttons, LED flash, as well as the power button are all connected with just a single ribbon cable. In order to repair one of the components, it would result in users having to replace the whole ribbon cable assembly. The Lightning connector, headphone jack and microphone ribbon cable, meanwhile, are soldered to the logic board.
"This is just another example of how Apple is simplifying and grouping the components in its products," iFixit said. "Unfortunately, in doing so, it's inadvertently putting an end to repairability."
The site added that upon comparing the iPod Touch to the iPhone 5's display, it's apparently notable that the former "is a much simpler, cheaper design, despite Apple claiming the two have very similar functionality."
iFixit commended Apple for implementing a stronger home button for the iPhone 5, but they were "somewhat disappointed" with the weaker design of the iPod Touch's home button.
Apple recently started to ship the fifth generation iPod Touch to consumers, as well as making it available on store shelves.
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Zak Islam is a freelance writer focusing on security, networking, and general computing. His work also appears at Digital Trends and Tom's Guide.
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DSpider "somewhat disappointed" with the weaker design of the iPhone Touch's home button.Reply
Iphone Touch? -
rebel1280 DSpider"somewhat disappointed" with the weaker design of the iPhone Touch's home button.Iphone Touch?i read that too and was like ??? heheReply -
mousseng A new Apple product is difficult to self-repair? Color me surprised, I never saw that coming!Reply -
bllue Now Apple is looking to take the profits of the Apple devices repair industry by forcing the consumer to head to their local Apple store and pay over half the device's value in repairsReply -
AndrewMD There is another wrong with what Apple is doing. For the most part, it is making it easier for the units to be assembled which is more costly than repairing the units. The ability to have assembly workers place only a few parts into a box at one time simplifies everything.Reply -
zybch bllueNow Apple is looking to take the profits of the Apple devices repair industry by forcing the consumer to head to their local Apple store and pay over half the device's value in repairsReply
Over $6 Billion has been spend repairing broken faulty apple devices in the time since the iPhone. It was reported here some time ago. -
idono And once again Apple takes the prize. They are effectivly forcing people to either pay outragous ammounts of money to repair their phone or to buy a new one. Either way it's a lose lose situation for the consumer. How are they even allowed to keep doing these kinds of buisness practices.Reply -
assasin32 Lots of Apple bashing just to be Apple bashing going on (Android user for the record). Apple simplified their product which means less point of failures which not only means it's easier to assemble which is good for them, but it also means if they did it right it should result in it being more reliable. Yes it means you can't replace every small component out there but that is a side effect of grouping things together and simplifying it.Reply