HomePod Mini Cable is Non-Detachable, Ends With USB-C Connector for Use With Included 20W Power Adapter

[moulderine]

Product just seems to be such a lost opportunity:

- USB C detachable really is a minimum. Even the Google nest mini which is half the price, has this.​

- It should have had audio line out: I have 2 airports I use for the airplay 2 feature alongside my Homepod and one Sonos speaker. I would have bought a few of these to replace the airports and add siri to those devices.​

- The product should use the magsafe feature also. It be a great vehicle to show practical and versatile they become with wireless charging. The Bose Home Portable has a very cool charger which thought not truly wireless shows how to try innovate in this space.​

As it is now, no reason for me to buy. Even if I didn't have my HomePod, I doubt I'd consider the mini.

 

[I7guy]

Product just seems to be such a lost opportunity:

- USB C detachable really is a minimum. Even the Google nest mini which is half the price, has this.​

- It should have had audio line out: I have 2 airports I use for the airplay 2 feature alongside my Homepod and one Sonos speaker. I would have bought a few of these to replace the airports and add siri to those devices.​

- The product should use the magsafe feature also. It be a great vehicle to show practical and versatile they become with wireless charging. The Bose Home Portable has a very cool charger which thought not truly wireless shows how to try innovate in this space.​

As it is now, no reason for me to buy. Even if I didn't have my HomePod, I doubt I'd consider the mini.

Not sure:
- Why a detachable cord is needed. I guess some have a use case for that. I don't.
- Audio line out. There have been comments about an audio line in. Apple seems to be about minimalism. Line in and line out do not fit that.
- Magsafe doesn't seem to have enough juice at 15 watts. Need 20 watts.
- Bose Home Portable at $350 is a different market, does different things. And is not weighed down by a battery, which is a design tradeoff.

 

[howywood]

Why not, what if the cable breaks!

What in the world are you doing with your homepods where you'd even remotely think about a cable breaking?

 

[howywood]

It certainly would make more sense to include a magsafe charging base so you can in fact have them in various parts of the house. It's really weird how Apple doesn't do things consistently. No touch ID in iPhone 12 Pro, but iPad Air has one. And the phone releases first!

 

[Rockadile]

you are telling us you have absolutely no usb c adaptors (apple brand or not) in your house that is unused? None.... not a single one?

I would be one of them since I have iPhone 6, 2011 MBP, and iPad mini 4. Worst time to take out the iPhone USB-C adapter since there are people that has iPhone 8 or older that waited for the iPhone mini.

 

[Premium1]

Let me get this straight, Apple includes a charger with this but not with the expensive iphones. Hmm, I thought Apple was trying to save the environment by not shipping wall chargers since we all have so many of them?

Not to mention they seem to be making everything outside of the iPhone USB-C (which again causes more chargers to be purchased) not to mention their new MagSafe charger as well (again another new type). So much for the environment.

 

[thimplicity]

Not to mention they seem to be making everything outside of the iPhone USB-C (which again causes more chargers to be purchased) not to mention their new MagSafe charger as well (again another new type). So much for the environment.

this way they can get rid of a physical port on an iPhone next year or in 2022.

 

[Maconplasma]

When exactly did I say they shouldn’t make a profit?

You're entire post was about how Apple is cutting corners on the power adapter just so they can make a profit, then forcing customers to buy power adapters so they can make even more profit. Then I told you that customers can buy 3rd party adapters and Apple gets nothing. Then you rambled on more about how some customers will still buy from Apple so they will make a profit. Please read your own posts carefully? Everything you said 100% suggested you had a problem with Apple making a profit.

 

[AbSoluTc]

In all honestly, only one of mine does and it’s not a very common occurrence. However, he seems to love MacBook Air power cables; I had to get two replacements.

Never fun lol. I think they just get a bug in their system and one day say hey, I’m going to screw up some cables today!

 

[AbSoluTc]

this way they can get rid of a physical port on an iPhone next year or in 2022.

This. Mag safe is Apples way of getting rid of the charging port on the iPhone. They will skip usb-c entirely.

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

Sorry to be a bit off topic but the US has not used 110/220V in quite some time. We’ve been 120/240V since before most people on this forum have been alive. I’m referring to typical home distribution which is 120/240V split phase with two “hots” and a neutral. I know some people still use 110/220V to describe residential electric service, and it’s not hard to follow what is meant, but I figure it’s worth an effort to be accurate even if the general concept is being conveyed either way.

Actually you take what you get. I get anywhere between 105 and 125 volts at my house. The UPS's are clicking several times a day. I had a client who always ran hot, 135 or more, and even their 240 service was 'hot'. (I think their 'hot' service fried one of their printers) I'm still wondering what's up or down stream from my house that could cause that much variation in the voltage, although usually it's pretty consistent, but swings. (Our water pressure is all over the place too) There are no manufacturing plants nearby, but I could be at 'the end of the line', where the client apparently had a dedicated circuit running from the local substation which wasn't very far away. In more primitive areas of the country, and on holiday, I've run into 50hz service too. You can almost see the pulsing of the lights. Freaky...

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

This. Mag safe is Apples way of getting rid of the charging port on the iPhone. They will skip usb-c entirely.

That would be crazy, but fitting for Apple wanting to make everything closed and also sell more Bluetooth earpods. Win-win for them, eh...

 

[MacBH928]

they should have made the top panel a Qi charger.

better yet, a MagSafe charger and just pass through the controls to the iPhone screen

thats actually...a very great idea. I am impressed.

 

[Manzanito]

You're entire post was about how Apple is cutting corners on the power adapter just so they can make a profit, then forcing customers to buy power adapters so they can make even more profit. Then I told you that customers can buy 3rd party adapters and Apple gets nothing. Then you rambled on more about how some customers will still buy from Apple so they will make a profit. Please read your own posts carefully? Everything you said 100% suggested you had a problem with Apple making a profit.

That’s not what I said. Apple is already making a huge profit on the iPhone. I’m ok with that, I own an iPhone and several macs after all.

What I have a problem with is apple claiming they’re removing the charger only for environmental reasons. I don’t buy that, and I don’t think they’re being honest. You may not like it, but it’s my opinion.

 

[MacCheetah3]

Oh, I thought it was a 'portable speaker'. DOH!!! So the better question is probably 'Why make a portable speaker sized stationary speaker'. So this is a second attempt at an 'Apple Hi-Fi'? Oh, with Bluetooth now. Who designed this? If it looks like a portable speaker, shouldn't it BE a portable speaker? Tying it to a power plug is so dated...

Smaller size and weight allows easier, more versatile placement within your decor, plus lower cost.

 

[hmmfe]

Actually you take what you get. I get anywhere between 105 and 125 volts at my house. The UPS's are clicking several times a day. I had a client who always ran hot, 135 or more, and even their 240 service was 'hot'. (I think their 'hot' service fried one of their printers) I'm still wondering what's up or down stream from my house that could cause that much variation in the voltage, although usually it's pretty consistent, but swings. (Our water pressure is all over the place too) There are no manufacturing plants nearby, but I could be at 'the end of the line', where the client apparently had a dedicated circuit running from the local substation which wasn't very far away. In more primitive areas of the country, and on holiday, I've run into 50hz service too. You can almost see the pulsing of the lights. Freaky...

Of course there are variances with each install. The standard is 120V +/- 5% (or 114V to 126V) so there is some variance that is allowable. If you are fluctuating outside of that range you need some repairs (or your electric company needs to do some repairs, or perhaps both). Depending on the device in question, it could tolerate more or less than that number and work just fine. But some devices are less tolerant of greater variance (the reason why your UPS has over/under voltage protection on it).

50Hz is a similar story to 110V vs 120V - it's not been a thing since just after WW2 (at least for the US). At least for regulate utilities there are regulations that require clocking systems to ensure accuracy. But again, you may find any number of things out there that are not to code or are in need of repair.

 

[Rockadile]

This. Mag safe is Apples way of getting rid of the charging port on the iPhone. They will skip usb-c entirely.

That would get rid of the fast-charge feature. How would people transfer their photos or even the large 4K videos onto their laptop out in the field?

 

[justperry]

What in the world are you doing with your homepods where you'd even remotely think about a cable breaking?

Cats..dogs among other furry animals.

 

[Premium1]

this way they can get rid of a physical port on an iPhone next year or in 2022.

Exactly.

 

[Expos of 1969]

Don't purchase the insurance?

I have made a better decision. I won’t be buying the device. Even if I wanted to Apple only sells these in a few countries. Way to capture the global market Tim!

 

[Mac_MD-PhD]

As the owner of FIVE cats, the cable is in trouble.

 

[citysnaps]

What in the world are you doing with your homepods where you'd even remotely think about a cable breaking?

Spot on. I have integrated power cords on loads of devices and tools in my woodshop. Toasters, floor lamps, coffee-makers, rice cooker, hair dryers, desk lamps, sawz-all, paper shredders, heat gun soldering iron, Dremel tools, drill, audio gear, TVs, five HomePods, wood planer, wood routers, jigsaws, Fein detail sander, miter saw, air compressor, grinders, Festool track saws and sanders, other circular saws, three portable shop vacuums, rotary hammer, radios, portable shop lights, woodworking tools battery chargers, and on and on, and on. Over many many years. With frequent and often rough usage.

I have NEVER had to deal with a faulty integrated power cord. Not once!

Fretting over HomePod Mini having an integrated power cord is a BS issue.
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Cats..dogs among other furry animals.

See above, never happened.

 

[danny842003]

I don't know where you live, but in North America, clothes dryers plug into outlets. Washers typically use regular 110V while dryers typically have heavier duty 220V outlets with a special shape.

Lived in the UK and Aus everything’s 230 and we don’t need to boil water on a stove. Aside from arguing the toss about a dryer you can see fixed appliances don’t have removable cables.

 

[danny842003]

this way they can get rid of a physical port on an iPhone next year or in 2022.

How does MagSafe make portless anymore possible than Qi?

 

[kb923689]

That’s not what I said. Apple is already making a huge profit on the iPhone. I’m ok with that, I own an iPhone and several macs after all.

What I have a problem with is apple claiming they’re removing the charger only for environmental reasons. I don’t buy that, and I don’t think they’re being honest. You may not like it, but it’s my opinion.

I'd like to think it's pure trolling because there's no way a person would fall for the "environmental" excuse. Apple been cutting corners since the extinction of the MagSafe in the Macbook. I agree that no one needs a DVD drive nowadays but not having a MagSafe, HDMI, headphone jack etc is a way to cheapen the production cost of these products.