Apple to Charge $279 to Repair or Replace a Damaged HomePod Without AppleCare+

[Braderunner]

In other words it’s disposable

Ending is better than mending.

 

[Nunyabinez]

Why are people complaining about repairability? This is not a modular Mac Pro. It is a very reasonably priced $349 speaker. Speakers don’t break. Most people don’t move speakers that often. Don’t drop it or pour your drink on it.

Problem solved...

I hope Apple Care covers spitting coffee on your iMac, because that's what happened when I read that.

We have very different views of what is reasonable for a speaker, even a "smart speaker."

 

[willmtaylor]

Just purchase with a credit card that doubles the manufacturer's warranty (such as the Citi 2x Cash Back card). Many have this feature.

 

[iChrila]

Is the AppleCare+ only valid in the country you bought the HomePod in or is this international?

 

[citysnaps]

apple care for homePod is $39 but first time incident fee is $78. So $120 total. Cheaper than 278 but really the default 1 year warranty is pretty bad for non consumer caused issues. Most speakers have 3-5 years. A lot of speakers last 10-20 years. My $400 home audio TV setup with receiver and 5.1 speakers is 15 years old and is still working fine. My sonos's are running fine and they are over 5 years.

Do other Apple products offer a basic warranty of greater than 1 year? Why should HomePod?

Not particularly worried. I still have a 1990 Mac Iici, a Mac Quadra 840, a 2006 Mac Pro, a 2010 Mac Pro, and though I don't use them, they still boot up fine.

I have no doubt HomePod will perform similarly.

For those who feel HomePod's warranty (and optional AppleCare) are lacking, there are loads of other speaker choices out there. Vote with your wallet. Easy.

 

[kildraik]

Seems like a Darwinism policy. My feelings on smart speakers stand solid against, but if you damage a HomePod, then somehow you made it through natural selection’s web.

Seems like the only benefit to get AppleCare+ is if the drivers are forecasted to crap out after the original warranty window. Ha.

 

[Kebabselector]

Top tip for potential UK buyers. Don't buy it from Apple, if John Lewis are selling them then get one there, 5 years warranty as standard. Tell them to shove the Apple Care right up the ginnel.

John Lewis offer a 2 year warranty on HomePods and on most electronic devices (occasionally 3 years on Laptops/tablets) and 5 years on TV's.

For an extra £10 you can get covered for accidental damage - although not sure what actual cover this offers as I'm not reading the small print.

Still better than Apple's 1 year (so long as you don't damage it).

https://www.johnlewis.com/apple-hom...olour=White&navAction=jump&_requestid=2905548

 

[crichton007]

In other words it’s disposable

If you have that much disposable money in your budget.

 

[BigJohno]

Apple care only matters on laptops and desktop IMO.

 

[skellener]

Of course you could always use your credit card protection and be reimbursed the $279. Stop paying Apple for services you already have.

 

[albebaubles]

I predict the gnashing of the teeth will be start soon...

Speakers just don't break. Unless you break them. And if you think the amount that Apple charges is too much, then surely someone will repair them for less money if they ever need repairing.

I've blown my share over the years. mostly in car speakers

 

[Apple blogger]

Is internal bass and speaker cracking noise/damage covered in warranty or Apple care plus?

 

[I7guy]

HomePod invoices have "Angela needs a new penthouse..." watermarks all over them

If you consider the HomePod not worth the money, dont buy it. Others will buy it.

That's what home contents insurance is for.

I’ve never had an insurance policy that covers the contents of my home without an additional waiver. I would buy AppleCare to cover accidental damage.

Who drops a speaker? I've dropped a lot of things in my life being careless -- keys, phones, dishes, tools, cups of coffee. I can't say I've ever dropped anything though that was properly two handed -- babies, priceless antiques, football catches, watermelons, computers, or, yes, speakers. I mean, sure earthquakes can happen on the east coast, but not likely. It's why not too many Atlantic coast state homeowners have earthquake insurance.

It’s an individual call. Things have hit the floor in my house I never would have thought.

 

[Victor Mortimer]

I hope Apple Care covers spitting coffee on your iMac, because that's what happened when I read that.

We have very different views of what is reasonable for a speaker, even a "smart speaker."

That was my reaction too, it's an outrageously priced speaker, especially considering that Apple is VERY late to the game, way more than double the price of the competition, and doesn't do as much. An Amazon Echo is $85. Google Home is $100. Apple is $350.

I just can't see the value in a "smart speaker" at all, let alone one as ridiculously priced as the HomePod.

And then they're going to change almost as much as a new Amazon speaker for a repair with AppleCare?

No. Apple is nuts.

 

[citysnaps]

That was my reaction too, it's an outrageously priced speaker, especially considering that Apple is VERY late to the game, way more than double the price of the competition, and doesn't do as much. An Amazon Echo is $85. Google Home is $100. Apple is $350.

I just can't see the value in a "smart speaker" at all, let alone one as ridiculously priced as the HomePod.

And then they're going to change almost as much as a new Amazon speaker for a repair with AppleCare?

No. Apple is nuts.

I guess it depends on HomePod producing superior sound across a wide range of listening environments qualifies as "doesn't do as much."

 

[blcamp]

Seems like $279 is the real price of these... another $70 because Apple.

 

[nvmls]

No. Apple is nuts.

Their consumers are.. Apple is just exploiting that accordingly.

 

[Victor Mortimer]

If you consider the HomePod not worth the money, dont buy it. Others will buy it.

I’ve never had an insurance policy that covers the contents of my home without an additional waiver. I would buy AppleCare to cover accidental damage.

It’s an individual call. Things have hit the floor in my house I never would have thought.

Well, they shouldn't buy the HomePod unless they've got more money than brains. I've never said that about an Apple product before, but this one is ridiculous.

And homeowners insurance policies in the US include your home's contents by default. I've never seen a homeowner's policy that doesn't. Now, there's a deductible that's usually higher than the cost of this stupid outrageously priced speaker, so I suppose if you're going to buy one and put it where it'll get smashed by your trash compactor or something you should probably get the AppleCare, but if you have lightning damage you're typically going to have more than one thing zapped, you'll almost certainly be going over the deductible anyway, and your insurance is going to buy you a new one.

The best individual call is to not buy a HomePod. Apple is charging a highway robbery price for this speaker.

 

[peteo]

That was my reaction too, it's an outrageously priced speaker, especially considering that Apple is VERY late to the game, way more than double the price of the competition, and doesn't do as much. An Amazon Echo is $85. Google Home is $100. Apple is $350.

I just can't see the value in a "smart speaker" at all, let alone one as ridiculously priced as the HomePod.

And then they're going to change almost as much as a new Amazon speaker for a repair with AppleCare?

No. Apple is nuts.

Its supposed to compete with mid range/high end speakers. Not the the throwaway speakers you get with a PC. The siri part is just a way to control it or other homekit devices.

All that being said. There are other speakers with "smarts" that sound as good or better and right now with homePod you are locked to apple music and its services. To me Sonos is a way better choice since you get great sound for cheaper price and has support for basically any music service. Works with alexa and soon google and will support airplay 2 when released. alexa does not support homekit but pretty much any smarthome device and hubs you buy now supports alexa and homekit. I have wink hub and any thing I add to it gets alexa support. This closed Siri stance is hurting apple more than helping.

This verge title sums it up pretty good:

The HomePod is the point of no return for Apple fans
This speaker is openly hostile to any hardware or service not made by Apple
https://www.theverge.com/2018/2/9/16994382/apple-homepod-release-day-price-compatibility

 

[ravenstar]

Why is it always amateur hour around here? It's not even funny and it adds nothing to the discussion. Does a cat scratching post have the best hardware in the smart speaker space?

Stop posting for likes from Apple haters and add something to the discussion.

Never owned a cat have you? Sorry, but I'm not an Apple hater, and I found that comment both funny and alarming.

 

[Bryan Bowler]

I hope Apple Care covers spitting coffee on your iMac, because that's what happened when I read that.

We have very different views of what is reasonable for a speaker, even a "smart speaker."

That's cool if there are better options for you. As for me, I have a hunch it will sound great. In my house, we currently use a UE Boom 2 in the kitchen and it was $199. I'm banking on the idea that the $349 HomePod will destroy the UE Boom in terms of sound quality. Granted, the UE Boom offers great portability since it runs on battery power, but from a sound standpoint, I suspect there will be no comparison. I guess I'll find out soon. UPS should be here within the hour...

 

[ignatius345]

HomePodRumors.com is sure hopping these days

 

[JediZenMaster]

This is really annoying how they continue to make all of their devices virtually un-repairable and extremely expensive.

“Expensive” is in the eye of the beholder. To expect Apple to sacrifice their margins was never going to happen.

 

[Joe Rossignol]

Why is it only available in the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom? Lack of manufacture resources to supply the demand? Market assessment predicts it wouldn't be profitable anywhere else? What's the reason behind the limited availability? Also stupid that they release the product before all its functionalities are ready to be fully enjoyed.

Any prediction as to when it'll be available in Europe (European Union)?

Think there’s an error in the table for UK pricing.

With those figures I’d rather buy a brand new one and not have to deal with a support person.

So in the UK if you don't have Apple Care + for your Homepod it costs £319 to fix it. But uh they cost £319 brand new. So the repair cost is 100% the same as buying a brand new Homepod.

What a great deal.

That UK price without AC+ has got to be wrong - the £319 UK repair price is the full purchase price whereas both the US and Australia repair prices are both around 80% of the purchase price.

My mistake.

I mentioned HomePod repairs cost £268 without AppleCare+ in the text portion of my article, but I mistakenly put the brand new price of £319 in the chart.

Fixed that.

 

[Onexy]

Does Bose, Audio Engines, B&O, Klipsch, Yamaha, Magnepan, Polk Audio, Bowers and Wilkins, MartinLogan, etc, offer warranty coverage for most of your life? No? Then why should Apple?

The meaning of my comment is: Apple Care for HomePod does not make sense.

 

[Victor Mortimer]

apple care for homePod is $39 but first time incident fee is $78. So $120 total. Cheaper than 278 but really the default 1 year warranty is pretty bad for non consumer caused issues. Most speakers have 3-5 years. A lot of speakers last 10-20 years. My $400 home audio TV setup with receiver and 5.1 speakers is 15 years old and is still working fine. My sonos's are running fine and they are over 5 years.

Speakers last a lot longer than that. I own some speakers built in the 1950s that work just fine. The Bose Roommate Apple IIgs powered speakers, which are actually probably the first speakers Apple ever put a logo on back in 1986, are still going strong over 30 years later.