Apple iPod mini 2nd Generation

    Date Acquired: Apr 2024
    Date Disassembled: Jul 2024
    Date Documented: Sep 2024

Overview

Introduced in February 2005, the second-generation iPod mini came to market with improved battery life, increased storage options of 4GB and 6GB, and brighter colours. It retained the same anodised aluminium casing, monochrome display and Click Wheel interface (although the lettering now matched the body colour). Storage was provided by a miniature "Microdrive" hard drive, although it was soon superseded by flash memory in the iPod nano, following its introduction in September 2005.

Disassembly

Device separated into constituent parts.
Case, internals (front & back), and end covers
Device's internals where the battery has been removed.
Internals (Back, battery removed)
Side profile of the device's internals.
Side profile
Photo of Microdrive hard drive and with plastic cover peeled away showing electronics.
Microdrive HDD, with cover removed