HomePod Teardown Reveals Hidden 14-Pin Connector, 16GB Storage, and Very Low Repairability

[Piggie]

What happend to what Apple were telling everyone is looked like inside design wise?

 

[dampfnudel]

Repairability of a speaker? This may be the shark jumping on repairability. I used to repair my car but new cars are wound so tight and the electric ones are so tight that you cannot repair most of them beyond the basics without serious investments in special tools. Welcome to the age of the micro.

Yeah, maybe this would’ve been an issue 20 years ago, but today we live in a different reality.

 

[JosephAW]

Looks like the Mac Pro. Glad they could reuse the trashcan design for something...

Parent of the iMac hockey puck mouse.

 

[Tech198]

With so many tools to dismantle a speaker i wouldn't have gone to that trouble.

 

[Cloudkicker]

My kitty can break it down quicker. lol

 

[5hugknight]

I wish that apple would focus on repairability for their products rather than scrapping to landfill. Perhaps they have here - but it's not obvious

They are actually one of the only (if not the only) major tech company working on a 100% close-loop supply chain. They also recycle and refurbish as much as they possibly can. Also, every Apple location takes in old electronics from any brand to recycle responsibly for free. So, not sure about the landfill comment unless it is irresponsible consumers you were referring to.

 

[davie18]

I'm going to be completely honest here. The HomePod is just not a necessary nor revolutionary product. Really the only must have Apple products are a MacBook Pro, iMac or both and an iPhone. To a much lesser extent an iPad and an ATV. The watch is something that mainly attracts people who know nothing about watches and probably had no interest in one before Apple launched one. I bought one for the hell of it and I don't think I've used it more than 4-5 times. It just feels so cheap on my wrist compared to my daily GMT-Master II. If you have an A/V receiver, especially any recent one with Bluetooth and/or Airplay with quality speakers at home, you really don't need a HomePod. Hell even an older receiver with an ATV plugged in will provide Airplay over quality speakers.

I see it more like a modern version of the popular Bose wave radio. Great for kitchens and for people (primarily home owners) who want something wireless in a room away from the home theater. The people who must have every Apple product will be all over it and praise it to no end. Like the AirPods this is such an easy pass for me.

For many people though an iPad is totally sufficient as a main computer. A lot of people only use computers only to browse the web, watch movies and check emails, there’s no need for a laptop or desktop for that.

 

[Leguna24]

The only reason they put a reparability score on something like this is for clicks. They know Apple product and reparability score of 1 will get picked up by all the tech sites and shared all over social media.

I don't think so. After the Microsoft Surface Laptop did get a score of 0, it suddenly didn't matter anymore to many sites.

 

[BorderingOn]

I suspect you’re not familiar with their very robust recycling initiative. I also wonder how often anyone either one of us has ever known has felt the need to personally repair a speaker.
[doublepost=1518461783][/doublepost]

Responsible consumers don’t throw out things like this into a landfill. They recycle.

Well I have. Both faulty drivers and crossover networks. In the latter case, the manufacturer sent replacement parts free of charge under their ten year warranty.

 

[The Game 161]

good job mine will stay in one place and shouldn't get damaged.

 

[DarwinOSX]

Amps are all class D? Let's be real, this gadget has no power, no room for the kind of inductors needed to make great sounding audio from a digital amp.

Let’s be real you don’t know anything about it.
[doublepost=1518487191][/doublepost]

I welcome those iFixIt's breakdowns. Why?:

1. show how things are built.
2. using high-quality renders.
3. annotated with light-hearted comments, which show that they do not take themselves too seriously
4. avoid the use of meaningless superlatives to tell it like it is. (Looking at you TC and Crew.)

For those that pooh-pooh their breakdowns: R.E.L.A.X.
No sense getting your Apple-colored panties all in a bunch.

The only thing I Pooh Pooh about it is their ridiculous claims that they care about anything other than selling you their tools with their faux outrage at non-repairable things.
[doublepost=1518487450][/doublepost]

I'm going to be completely honest here. The HomePod is just not a necessary nor revolutionary product. Really the only must have Apple products are a MacBook Pro, iMac or both and an iPhone. To a much lesser extent an iPad and an ATV. The watch is something that mainly attracts people who know nothing about watches and probably had no interest in one before Apple launched one. I bought one for the hell of it and I don't think I've used it more than 4-5 times. It just feels so cheap on my wrist compared to my daily GMT-Master II. If you have an A/V receiver, especially any recent one with Bluetooth and/or Airplay with quality speakers at home, you really don't need a HomePod. Hell even an older receiver with an ATV plugged in will provide Airplay over quality speakers.

I see it more like a modern version of the popular Bose wave radio. Great for kitchens and for people (primarily home owners) who want something wireless in a room away from the home theater. The people who must have every Apple product will be all over it and praise it to no end. Like the AirPods this is such an easy pass for me.

An av receiver and speakers are the same thing or as good as this? Right. Did you read anything about the HomePod? Or did you come here to tell us about your superior intellect regarding Apple watches and AirPods?

 

[NY Guitarist]

Apple's march toward disposable consumer electronic gadgets continues.

I have to say I like it better without the mesh exterior. And I think it would be even better if the enclosure was clear, like the render that was posted. I guess I'm sentimental about my long gone Apple Pro Speakers and Sub.

 

[Grey Area]

What happend to what Apple were telling everyone is looked like inside design wise?

It seems fairly accurate - compare Apple's picture to iFixIt's x-ray:

Both do not really show the big black plastic tube encasing everything. I guess Apple omitted it for clarity, and being plastic it will not show on the x-ray.
Also, iFixIt's summary picture at the end only shows one of the seven tweeters, but the other six are there.

 

[maflynn]

All I can say is, man, that bad boy is sealed. I think apple bent over backwards to make it the fort knox of speakers. I personally have zero interest in opening it up, and I don't care about its "repairability" I don't recall seeing any speaker being considered based on its repairability

 

[grobik]

Really there should be no need to ever repair these because of damage caused by users.

The chance of you damaging them is reduced drastically by the fact it's a product that'll remain still 99% of the time for most people. How often do you manage to cause any damage at all to a TV, for example? SO I wouldn't really worry about the low repair-ability

I actually went back the next day and bought Apple Care +. This was after I found it wouldn't fit anywhere close to my TV. And eventually found it's best home on the kitchen table. And with a toddler in the house we're not immune to water spills on the counter.

 

[2013.1]

Where are the air outlets for the tweeters?

 

[mtbgtr]

Let’s be real you don’t know anything about it.
[doublepost=1518487191][/doublepost]

The only thing I Pooh Pooh about it is their ridiculous claims that they care about anything other than selling you their tools with their faux outrage at non-repairable things.
[doublepost=1518487450][/doublepost]

An av receiver and speakers are the same thing or as good as this? Right. Did you read anything about the HomePod? Or did you come here to tell us about your superior intellect regarding Apple watches and AirPods?

An av receiver and speakers will run circles around the hPod in sound quality, but then again the hPod isn't meant to be an audiophile device. Its a mass consumption device meant to be tossed when the next version comes, like the iPhone, ATV, Watch etc.., unlike a quality av receiver and speaker setup.

 

[Lolito]

Really there should be no need to ever repair these because of damage caused by users.

The chance of you damaging them is reduced drastically by the fact it's a product that'll remain still 99% of the time for most people. How often do you manage to cause any damage at all to a TV, for example? SO I wouldn't really worry about the low repair-ability

You clearly don't have children, you don't drink liquids either, your house it's all horizontal at level zero, no peaks on electricity, and you have no clue at all what is a power supply, how does it work and how often it can fail.

Either that or you are always sarcastic.

 

[neomorpheus]

Really sad how so many here are blinded by their blind devotion to apple.

Excuses after excuses as to why is ok for this to be no user friendly repairable and even questioning why a sacred item bestowed upon us mere mortals by the apple god, is taken apart like this.

Repairable devices allow it to stay a bit longer in someone hands and away from a landfill.

 

[davie18]

You clearly don't have children, you don't drink liquids either, your house it's all horizontal at level zero, no peaks on electricity, and you have no clue at all what is a power supply, how does it work and how often it can fail.

Either that or you are always sarcastic.

You’ve heard of surge protectors, right?

Spilling drinks? Lol really?? Don’t be stupid and leave a drink right next to a pricey speaker. Is it really that hard?

And I’m totally confused what having multiples levels in your house has to do with anything ‍♂️

I’ve still got my Logitech Z5500s from about 10 years ago. Incredibly I’ve never spilled a drink on them. Not sure how I managed such a feat?!

 

[Compote]

Low repairability is a buller, but these don’t come with a shortened life expectancy due to a battery’s inherent physical limitations.

 

[Msivyparrot]

It is of the Fischer Price My First Speaker grade, it is overpriced hunk of junk, you can see clearly that this was no way near ready for shipping, it is basically a prototype, unfinished, shipped mid design, the ifixit teardown is very clear on this, the way it was designed, it really is poor for what it is, no bluetooth, no input, even as a separate round base, no way this hunk of junk is the best Apple could come up with, they are laughing at the fools buying this junk!!

 

[lec0rsaire]

Let’s be real you don’t know anything about it.
[doublepost=1518487191][/doublepost]

The only thing I Pooh Pooh about it is their ridiculous claims that they care about anything other than selling you their tools with their faux outrage at non-repairable things.
[doublepost=1518487450][/doublepost]

An av receiver and speakers are the same thing or as good as this? Right. Did you read anything about the HomePod? Or did you come here to tell us about your superior intellect regarding Apple watches and AirPods?

Yes beamforming. Really remarkable. This is like what sound bars are to a true 5.1, 7.1 or Atmos setup. It’s artificial. I prefer real separation not a simulation. I’ve tried the AirPods and am not impressed. I stand by what I said regarding the Apple Watch. It’s nice paying for stuff with it and having boarding passes but my iPhone does this. There is simply no substitute for high-end Swiss mechanical watches. It’s the difference between looking at a photo on a computer of a painting versus seeing it in person at the museum. Watches are works of art and marvels of human engineering. Much like solid state and digital amplifiers compared to tube amps.

Sure the Apple Watch has nearly every useful complication all in one product but it’s a disposable product. Real watches last several lifetimes and appreciate over time and will keep running as long as they’re wound or on your wrist. The Apple Watch has to be charged daily. Real watches can withstand typically anywhere from 50m-3,900m (overkill but the Deep Sea Sea-Dweller can handle those depths) with the majority having ratings of 100m-300m. They can also survive in the harshest of conditions. I saw an example of an ordinary Submariner that was lost in the ocean and found over a year later and was still working. It needed some work and a polish but after that it was as good as new.

 

[gnasher729]

I wish that apple would focus on repairability for their products rather than scrapping to landfill. Perhaps they have here - but it's not obvious

I'll tell you what is more important than repairable products: Products that don't break. Good speakers last forever.
[doublepost=1518649438][/doublepost]

Well its a good thing the HomePod sits on a table or shelf and doesn't move for its entire life. These repairability ratings are stupid. For mobile devices and laptops, sure, accidents happen and you would like to know if you can easily replace a battery or screen if something happens, but for a shelf-top speaker, come on. If you drop it and break it, suck it up and buy another one.

I have a rather expensive glass vase sitting on top of the fireplace. I'll tell you, that thing has ZERO repairability! Good thing that it can't jump. It's been sitting there for about seven years now.
[doublepost=1518649645][/doublepost]

I’ve still got my Logitech Z5500s from about 10 years ago. Incredibly I’ve never spilled a drink on them. Not sure how I managed such a feat?!

Maybe by being an adult? Or rather acting like an adult? I fear that will put you ahead of many people :-(
[doublepost=1518649932][/doublepost]

You clearly don't have children, you don't drink liquids either, your house it's all horizontal at level zero, no peaks on electricity, and you have no clue at all what is a power supply, how does it work and how often it can fail.

Maybe he has children and understands the concept of "parenting". Maybe he does _drink_ liquids. Drinking is what you're supposed to do, not spilling. My floors are all horizontal, and as far as electricity is concerned, I live in a civilised country, power supplies are tough, and the one Mac that I owned that got destroyed by lightning was replaced by my home insurance (that was at a time when I had a modem directly connected to the phone line; that killed it, not the power supply).
[doublepost=1518650265][/doublepost]

So the HomePod cannot store music on board and I can't imagine this having a huge Operating System either. So, what is the 16GB of onboard storage space doing? Is this hinting at a future with more apps/ games/ functionality on the HomePod?

Officially it cannot store music. But there is no reason why it wouldn't store music streamed from iTunes Music, and if you play the same song again, it's not actually downloaded. Saves a lot of bandwidth (and cheaper for Apple's datacenters). And nobody would know the difference.

 

[Marshall73]

Yes beamforming. Really remarkable. This is like what sound bars are to a true 5.1, 7.1 or Atmos setup. It’s artificial. I prefer real separation not a simulation. I’ve tried the AirPods and am not impressed. I stand by what I said regarding the Apple Watch. It’s nice paying for stuff with it and having boarding passes but my iPhone does this. There is simply no substitute for high-end Swiss mechanical watches. It’s the difference between looking at a photo on a computer of a painting versus seeing it in person at the museum. Watches are works of art and marvels of human engineering. Much like solid state and digital amplifiers compared to tube amps.

Sure the Apple Watch has nearly every useful complication all in one product but it’s a disposable product. Real watches last several lifetimes and appreciate over time and will keep running as long as they’re wound or on your wrist. The Apple Watch has to be charged daily. Real watches can withstand typically anywhere from 50m-3,900m (overkill but the Deep Sea Sea-Dweller can handle those depths) with the majority having ratings of 100m-300m. They can also survive in the harshest of conditions. I saw an example of an ordinary Submariner that was lost in the ocean and found over a year later and was still working. It needed some work and a polish but after that it was as good as new.

At the end of the day it’s the right tool for the job, if that’s a 10 buck Bluetooth speaker or a 5 buck jelly strap watch then it’s the perfect tool. It’s not a pose off or dick measuring contest for most folks (unless you are a dicktaker of the USA or NK, that is)
[doublepost=1518651983][/doublepost]

It is of the Fischer Price My First Speaker grade, it is overpriced hunk of junk, you can see clearly that this was no way near ready for shipping, it is basically a prototype, unfinished, shipped mid design, the ifixit teardown is very clear on this, the way it was designed, it really is poor for what it is, no bluetooth, no input, even as a separate round base, no way this hunk of junk is the best Apple could come up with, they are laughing at the fools buying this junk!!

Ifixit hate anything they can’t supply repair tools for, that’s their business model right there.