The original HomePod was notoriously difficult to repair, to the point that cutting tools were sometimes required. However, Apple isn’t giving as much pain with the second-generation model. iFixit has shot down the new smart speaker and found it much easier to open. The copious amounts of glue are gone: you can get in with little more than a screwdriver, and the internal components are similarly accessible. Combine this with the detachable power cord and it should be doable to repair at least a few parts yourself.
iFixit advises that it has not tested possible software restrictions on repairs. It’s not clear if you can replace the circuit boards and still hope for a working HomePod. Still, it’s clear that Apple makes repairability a priority this time around, just like it does with the standard iPhone 14 and other recent products.
Not that Apple has much choice but to make the HomePod any easier to fix. Both the federal and state governments are pushing for right-to-redress mandates. If Apple didn’t make the speaker more maintainable, it risked political blowback. And while we wouldn’t count on Apple adding the HomePod to its self-repair program, the second-gen design makes that prospect more realistic.
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