The original HomePod was notoriously troublesome to restore, to the purpose the place chopping instruments had been generally crucial. Apple is not giving almost as a lot grief with the second-gen model, nevertheless. iFixit has torn down the brand new good speaker and found that it is simpler to pry open. The big quantities of glue are gone — you will get inside utilizing little greater than a screwdriver, and the inner elements are equally accessible. Mix this with the removable energy twine and it ought to be possible to repair at the very least some components your self.
iFixit cautions that it hasn’t examined for potential software restrictions on repairs. It isn’t clear that you would be able to change circuit boards and nonetheless anticipate a functioning HomePod. Even so, it is evident Apple considers repairability to be a precedence this time round, a lot because it does with the standard iPhone 14 and different current merchandise.
Not that Apple has a lot alternative however to make the HomePod extra fix-friendly. Each federal and state governments are pushing for right-to-repair mandates. If Apple did not make the speaker simpler to keep up, it risked a political pushback. And whereas we would not rely on Apple including the HomePod to its Self Service Repair program, the second-gen’s design makes that prospect extra real looking.
All merchandise really helpful by Engadget are chosen by our editorial staff, impartial of our father or mother firm. A few of our tales embrace affiliate hyperlinks. When you purchase one thing by way of considered one of these hyperlinks, we could earn an affiliate fee. All costs are appropriate on the time of publishing.
Trending Merchandise
