In 2011, Apple largely left 2010's iPod nano alone, though it did slightly tweak the software to embrace a popular use of the tiny touchscreen device as a watch replacement. A small cottage industry spring up to design and sell all manner of iPod nano "watch bands," but Apple has now abandoned that idea in favor of giving the seventh-generation iPod nano a larger, 2.5" touchscreen capable of playing videos.
Beyond the new screen, the addition of Bluetooth 4.0, and the switch to Apple's smaller Lightning connector, however, very little of the internal hardware changed in the 2012 iPod nano. Software remains largely the same as well, with a similar collection of "apps" all provided by Apple.
Apple has a history of moving in interesting (if odd) design directions with the smaller iPods, and then changing its mind. Remember the buttonless third-generation iPod shuffle? That design didn't fare too well, it seems, and Apple again sells an iPod shuffle with buttons. How about the third-generation "fat" iPod nano? Apple thought a sideways screen would be a good way to add compatibility with video and then-new downloadable iPod games, but the fourth-generation nano returned to the taller "candy bar" design.
What's most odd about the changes Apple made with the seventh-gen nano, however, is that it took an existing, seemingly popular design and got rid of the very elements that made it unique. The integrated clip—handy for those that used the nano while working out—is gone. And the larger size means it won't fit on a handy wrist strap.
What's left is a fairly simple music player that doesn't—at least on the surface—seem all that appealing. And given the iPod's increasingly dwindling sales figures since the introduction of the iPhone, that could end up being a liability in the market. Does the new iPod nano have what it takes to make waves in the current marketplace? Let's find out.
Hardware
As we noted earlier, the internal hardware is largely the same as the sixth-gen nano from 2011. iFixit's usual thorough teardown revealed a nearly identical architecture, including an NXP ARM-based processor, Toshiba NAND flash, and various support chips. The main changes include a Broadcom Bluetooth + FM radio module, support chips for Lightning, and a larger, double-size battery.
On the outside, Apple elongated the case to fit a larger, rectangular 2.5" touchscreen and a small, iPhone-like "home" button. On the left side is a volume rocker, which also doubles as a play/pause button if you push it in the middle. On the top is a power/screen lock button. On the bottom, you'll see the Lightning port and a 3.5mm headphone jack. A small white plastic strip hides the Bluetooth antenna as well.
The anodized aluminum shell is sleek and sturdy, and matches the look of the latest iPod touch. In fact, it seems as if Apple is trying to make the nano into something of a tiny iPod touch. The placement of controls, the overall shape, and the strange "home" button all serve to amplify that feeling.
At 1.1 ounces (a scant 31 grams), the nano is still extremely lightweight, and easily tucks into a pocket. You probably won't even know it's there. But we miss the integrated clip of the sixth-gen nano; without it, you may need some kind of strap or case to hold on to it while exercising.
Though the vertical dimension is essentially double the previous nano, the seventh-gen device is small, lightweight, feels solid, and looks nice. Our review unit is a pastel, pinkish purple color, but you can also get it in black, silver, blue, green, and yellow, as well as a special "Product Red" color. (Given my experience with the red iPod touch, I can whole-heartedly recommend that color.)
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