14 DAY TRIAL // After tearing down the fourth-generation iPod touch, the tinkerers at iFixit were surprised to find that the player packs a limited 256MB of RAM and, check this, no vibration motor.
The repair shop, notorious for its habit of tearing down everything electronic in sight, claims that a key marking of interest on the A4 processor package - K4X2G643GE - indicates that Apple’s fourth-gen iPod touch packs just 256MB of ram, rather than the expected 512MB in the iPhone 4.
Referring to the serial number in question, iFixit notes: “This is identical to the marking found on the iPad processor, but different from the iPhone 4 processor.”
“The iPad has 256 MB RAM, while the iPhone 4 features 512 MB,” the company explains.
“Unfortunately, this means that like the iPad, the new iPod Touch includes only 256 MB of RAM,” iFixit concludes.
As they were tearing down the same device, iFixit also found that, “Contrary to Apple's initial claims on their FaceTime marketing page, the iPod Touch does not have a vibrator.”
They also acknowledge that Apple has updated its website to remove this claim. The Mac maker previously stated (emphasis our):
“FaceTime on iPod touch makes it possible to have video calls with friends and family across the globe — perfect for sign-language conversations.”
“It works new iPod touch to new iPod touch or iPhone 4 over Wi-Fi — just enter your Apple ID and email address.”
“If somebody wants to start a video call with you, you’ll receive an invitation — along with a vibrating alert — on your iPod touch asking you to join. Simply tap Accept, and the video call begins.”
The reference to the vibrating alert is no longer there, with the rest of the description remaining unchanged.
Other noteworthy findings from the iPod touch 4th generation teardown include:
- the battery lists a capacity of 3.44 Watt-hours;
- the headphone jack is not soldered to the logic board and is stamped with Foxconn;
- the display assembly of the Touch measures 2.93 mm thick (slightly thinner than the 3.05 mm iPhone 4 display, and 30% thicker than the 2.27 mm display on the new iPod Nano);
- the rear-facing camera does not support autofocus and is a much lower resolution (it is 6.5 mm square by 3.3 mm tall - dramatically smaller than the iPhone 4's rear camera, according to iFixit);
- the front-facing camera can be disconnected from the logic board with ease, looks just like the iPhone 4's front-facing camera;
- the NAND flash memory is provided by Toshiba;
- the player has what iFixit calls “a legitimate speaker”, but still not powerful enough to satisfy many audiophiles, according to the repair shop.