Apple's second-gen iPod nano busted open (photos)

You can thank the guys over at iFixIt for being one of the first to do so on Thursday. The online Mac and iPod parts reseller has posted to its Web site a photo-illustrated take apart guide based on the dissection of a blue 4GB second-generation iPod nano.

Internal photos of the player corroborate much of what was already presumed based on previous media reports, particularly that it's being manufactured by Foxconn and that it uses Samsung flash memory and SoCs.

According to iFixit, the nano's new Li-ion polymer battery is thinner but significantly larger than the one included with the first-generation model. Also, the new player's ARM chip is clearly branded with an Apple logo. The numbers on the chip read: "33753291 8701 N02R5Q5 0627 ARM."

In the coming days, several research firms are expected to offer their own iPod nano tear-down reports, which have historically included a part-by-part analysis and estimated bill-of-materials price list.