Just a note on materials for those who are pedantic. Rubber feet such as 3M Bumpon are most often thermoplastic polyurethane, not rubber. I have never seen an Apple product using silicone for the base pad. They seem to be styrene butadiene styrene or even Santoprene (EPDM + PP).
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Industrial Design Experts Say HomePod's White Ring Issue 'Shouldn't Be Too Hard to Fix' for Apple
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Well when you spend twice the cost you would expect issues like these not be non exaistant on a “premium” product.
Airports, Mac minis, Apple TVs, Cinema Displays, charging docks for iPhones/iPads, the as yet unreleased wireless charging unit.
Yeah because Apple doesn’t employee any material scientists or chemists or soft good experts. That’s why everyone who owns an Apple Watch is complaining about skin irritation/rashes. 
Obviously Apple used this material for a specific reason. Yes I think they should have included a disclaimer in box packaging. But if this is a design flaw then anything that leaves a mark on certain wood furniture is poorly designed. Or maybe not, maybe people who have this kind of furniture know they need to be careful what they set directly on it.
Also is there any responsibility for the furniture manufacturer or the manufacturer of oils used to treat the wood to provide disclaimers on materials that may poorly interact with it? I know when I remodeled my kitchen and they installed the sink they gave me a list of products I shouldn’t use to clean the sink. They also explained how I should care for/clean my countertop and stove. Do people not get this information when they buy certain wood furniture?
Obviously Apple used this material for a specific reason. Yes I think they should have included a disclaimer in box packaging. But if this is a design flaw then anything that leaves a mark on certain wood furniture is poorly designed. Or maybe not, maybe people who have this kind of furniture know they need to be careful what they set directly on it.Also is there any responsibility for the furniture manufacturer or the manufacturer of oils used to treat the wood to provide disclaimers on materials that may poorly interact with it? I know when I remodeled my kitchen and they installed the sink they gave me a list of products I shouldn’t use to clean the sink. They also explained how I should care for/clean my countertop and stove. Do people not get this information when they buy certain wood furniture?
Could be. Could also be your wood furniture is not treated/finished with Danish Oil, which is the culprit and causes the reaction with the silicone base. I suspect Linseed-based finishes and other related plant-based oils (such as Tung) may react as well.
That doesn’t make it ok. And I’m sure you can read about it at the Sonos-Rumors webpage.
Is Apple's quality getting lower, or do we just remember the bad stuff that happens and forget about the good stuff?
I'd be interested in seeing some statistics. Go back over all the MacRumors articles over the year, count up the number of stories each year and how many were specifically about something bad that happened. Might be quicker for someone to write a program to do it vs manually sorting through 18 years (this week!) worth of news... I've been on these forums for 11 years now... coming up on half my life.
I'd be interested in seeing some statistics. Go back over all the MacRumors articles over the year, count up the number of stories each year and how many were specifically about something bad that happened. Might be quicker for someone to write a program to do it vs manually sorting through 18 years (this week!) worth of news... I've been on these forums for 11 years now... coming up on half my life.
Whatever level of importance one attaches to the ring faux pas, this statement is such a copout and contradictory too. True, Apple isn't "experienced" in making stationary speakers, but it does have years of experience making products specifically intended to be placed on desks -- some which are likely wood. Just saying.... I mean it's not like up to now Apple was exclusively a software company or made internal parts. It's engineers and management combine for centuries of experience designing consumer electronics.
And it may be true that other brand speakers cause similar discoloring. But those brands are not Apple. Apple holds itself high and above its competition; it is known for sweating the small details so it is fair game. It's why these small issues garner attention when they otherwise would not. Perhaps the ring flaw is an asterisk (I would say not if it's your furniture or floor that was ruined) but still something that Apple should have thought through -- with all of it's product experience.
1st World issue? Get off your soapbox. A $350 wireless speaker is a 1st world issue. Everything Apple makes is a 1st World issue. Practically every discussion on MR is a 1st World issue. Appreciating living in a 1st World country does not mean ignoring human suffering in less industrialized parts of the world.
I have no problems with MacRumours making money through non-intrusive adverts and even sponsored links for things that are relevant to the subject matter being discussed (as long as these items work well), but promoting a $20 coaster is absolutely taking the p155
I found a solution. I placed a piece of paper on the surface and then set down the HomePod. Marvelous!
Honestly, as the saying goes, a fool and his money are soon parted. It's MR site. We pay no price for admission. They should make money however they can. No matter how many time they pitch a $20 coaster I will not be tempted. If they can get some suckers good for them. Darwin at work.
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Classy. Just what I want on my nice furniture and under my expensive speaker.
??
so they should exist?..!
Before HomePod was released, Sonos speakers did this, they were the expensive choice. What was their excuse then? what are they doing to rectify it?
Now they're half the price of a 'Premium' product you accept that its fine that they mark your wooden tops?
Its funny when Apple experiences the same problems as everyone else, Apple gets labeled the bad guy, and everyone else gets a free pass (even the ones who only make speakers)!!
I love this feature - please don't take it away !! It shows me where I put my speaker in case it gets moved.
I don't think so.
I believe this is a case where none of Apple's employee alpha/beta testers used a HomePod sitting on top of a piece of wood furniture in their homes that was finished in Danish Oil, which is the real culprit and not wood in general.
Now that the issue has been revealed, I'm certain Apple will use a different material in HomePod's base.
Life goes on...
Sell them for $19!
Of course they are free to do as they please, but if they carry on like this and start promoting a $50 iPhone X case made of recycled paper, or a $100 leather belt pouch for carrying your AirPods case, then people will start drifting from the site. Darwin at work.
This is so funny to see people get all worked up when their speaker makes marks on their end tables that in all reality cost less then the speaker.