iPod nano 7th Generation (2012): History and Specs
Thinner and taller
Alongside a new iPod touch, the seventh-generation iPod nano was unveiled on 12 September 2012, and it reached shops in October. It abandoned the small square shape of the previous model for a tall body closer to the fifth generation's. Apple called it the thinnest iPod ever; the specification lists 76.5 × 39.6 × 5.4 mm and 31 g. There was a single 16GB capacity at US$149, in pink, yellow, blue, green, purple, silver, slate and (PRODUCT) RED. The 2.5-inch Multi-Touch display, the largest Apple had put in a nano, had 240 × 432 pixels at 202 ppi.
Buttons, Bluetooth and Lightning
Physical controls returned alongside the touchscreen: a Home button, Volume Up and Volume Down, Play/Pause and a Sleep/Wake button. The nano added built-in Bluetooth 4.0 for wireless headphones, speakers and car systems. The Lightning connector replaced the 30-pin dock connector, so older accessories needed a Lightning to 30-pin adapter sold separately. Apple EarPods came in the box.
Video, radio and first reviews
Video playback, absent from the sixth generation, returned, with support for H.264 and MPEG-4 files. Apple's battery figures were up to 30 hours of music, the longest of any iPod nano, or 3.5 hours of video. An FM radio with a 15-minute Live Pause buffer, a built-in pedometer and Nike+ support were included.
Writing for Macworld on 14 October 2012, Dan Frakes welcomed the Home button and side buttons, reported quick Bluetooth pairing without dropouts and called it the best nano yet for watching video. He regretted the loss of the clip, noted that only six clock faces were offered compared with 18 before, and judged US$149 a tough sell.
Colour changes and discontinuation
Later updates changed only the colours. In September 2013 a space grey finish took the place of slate. On 15 July 2015 the colours changed to space grey, silver, gold, pink, blue and (PRODUCT) RED, with the same 16GB capacity and US$149 price. On 27 July 2017 Apple discontinued the iPod nano together with the iPod shuffle, leaving the iPod touch as its only iPod.
Specifications
| Announced | 12 September 2012; in shops in October 2012 |
|---|---|
| Launch price (US) | US$149 |
| Capacity | 16 GB flash memory |
| Display | 2.5-inch Multi-Touch display, 240 × 432 pixels at 202 ppi |
| Battery | Up to 30 hours of music or 3.5 hours of video |
| Wireless | Bluetooth 4.0 |
| Extras | FM radio with Live Pause, pedometer with Nike+ support, Home button |
| Connectors | Lightning connector, 3.5 mm headphone jack |
| Size | 76.5 × 39.6 × 5.4 mm (3.01 × 1.56 × 0.21 in) |
| Weight | 31 g (1.1 oz) |
| Colours | 2012: pink, yellow, blue, green, purple, silver, slate, (PRODUCT) RED; 2015: space grey, gold, silver, pink, blue, (PRODUCT) RED |
| Works with | Mac or Windows PC with a USB port and iTunes (OS X 10.7.5 or Windows 7 or later for the 2015 version) |
| Model number | A1446 |
Figures from Apple's published technical specifications. Where Apple lists only inches and ounces, metric values are converted and rounded.
How to identify it
- Tall and thin with a round Home button below the screen and a Lightning port.
- No clip on the back.
- Model number A1446, used for both the 2012 and the Mid 2015 colours.
Where to find the model number and serial number: how to identify a used iPod.