ipod 4th generation touch repairs in Adelaide

Today we are looking at the Apple iPod Touch 4th Generation and some important information regarding having this device repaired if you smash the LCD or touch screen digitizer screen.

The ipod touch 4th generation is slightly smaller than the 2nd and 3rd generation predecessors, and has a slimmer profile. It was released roughly around the same time as Apple released the iphone 4G, meaning it fully supports V4.x and the pending release of V5.x of Apples iDevice operating system, commonly used on iPods, and iPhones. The back of the 4th generation ipod touch is now flat, and unlike the iPhone 4, the iPod Touch still features the same shiny aluminum back that has graced every iPod Touch. Along with its slimmer profile, the 4th generation iPod incorporates characteristics similar to the iphone 4. 640 x 960 pixel resolution retina display, rear-facing camera with 720p video recording, front-facing camera with VGA video recording, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, FaceTime video chat, and a three axis gyro scope.

Compared to the previous ipod Touch 3rd generation, the screen resolution is 320×480. That’s twice the amount of pixels in each direction, or in other words, four times the total amount of pixels. It is almost completely black when turned off. That’s noticeably different from the display of the earlier iPod Touch 1st, 2nd and 3rd generation, which is dark gray when turned off.

The iPod Touch 4th generation has a visible speaker grill on the bottom, just to the left of the docking/charging port connector. On iPod Touch 1st, 2nd and 3rd generation, the external audio simply came out the docking charging port connector. Apple likely beefed up the speakerphone in order to enable FaceTime on the Touch.

The front-facing camera is just like that of the iPhone 4, with support for VGA quality photos and video. Unfortunately, the rear-facing camera is only 960×720 resolution. That equates to roughly 0.7 of a megapixel when compared to 5.0 megapixels on the iPhone 4G. The likely reason for this is that Apple sacrificed still photo resolution quality in order to fit the camera into the iPod Touch 4th generations slimmer lower profile chassis. There is a microphone hole right next to the camera on the rear. Apple has updated the audio input and output prowess of the new ipod touch 4th generation to enable it to work nicely with FaceTime.

We would like to now brief on the topic of the 640 x 960 pixel resolution retina display module. Like the iphone 4G, the touch screen digitizer is glued to the LCD module by the Apple factory. Like the iPhone 4G, the front glass touch screen digitizer module, and the LCD module, are permanently fused together by Apple in the factory during manufacturing. Given this LCD is much more fragile than that used in the iPod touch 3rd Generation, and being HD, it makes perfect sense why apple do this. It will also prevent dust and dirt from getting beneath the touch screen glass and the LCD. Unfortunately though, this will make repair more expensive as a double LCD / touch screen digitizer glass is required to repair a smashed screen, whereas if you have a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd generation ipod Touch, it is possible to replace just the front glass or the LCD independantly of each other

Around Adelaide, the price range to repair the smashed ipod Touch 4th Generation screen ranges at present (June 27 2011) from around $115 to $150 at most repair shops. The disasesembly procedure to replace this LCD and touch screen requires that certain parts of the motherboard and ribbon cables need flexing, which can cause stress to these ribbons, and that it is not a great practice to be flexing the motherboard to remove it from the chassis. There is a small chance that with this repair process, future damage can occur to the mentioned items, meaning it will cost more than the AU$115 to AU$150 in the future. For an 8Gb ipod touch 4th generation with a smashed screen, you may like to consider sending it straight to Apple Care, for a swap of the device for approximately AU$139.00 including to and from return registered postage. You will feel more at ease that your ribbons and motherboard have not been further damaged during any repair by a third party, and you will receive a new 90 day warranty from Apple. Seems like perfect sense for the ipod consumer! We at Budget Mobile Phone Repairs and Sales do offer an ipod repair adelaide service, though for smashed screens on ipod touch 4th generations, we suggest the first point of call would be to find out through Apple what an “out of warranty service” would cost on your ipod touch 4th generation for repair or replace before finding out if a 3rd party independant of Apple repairer can help. It may just save you heartache and future problems with the device given that the purchase price of the 8Gb model is around AU$245, you dont want to be spending more than the AU$115-AU$150 with inheritant problems caused by the repair of the touch screen. Apple Care in Australia can be contacted on 1300321456 with option 1 being for ipod customer support.

This article has been written in good faith for the ipod Touch 4th Generation consumer in Adelaide, South Australia. Apple, iPhone, iPod and iPad are trademarks of Apple Inc. iPod Repairs Adelaide @ Budget Mobile Phone repairs and Sales is not an authorized Apple Service Centre and is not affiliated with Apple Inc. in any way.