The unique HomePod was notoriously tough to restore, to the purpose the place chopping instruments have been typically essential. Apple is not giving practically as a lot grief with the second-gen mannequin, nonetheless. iFixit has torn down the brand new good speaker and found that it’s miles simpler to pry open. The big quantities of glue are gone — you will get inside utilizing little greater than a screwdriver, and the inner elements are equally accessible. Mix this with the removable energy wire and it must be possible to repair at the very least some components your self.
iFixit cautions that it hasn’t examined for attainable software program restrictions on repairs. It isn’t clear that you may exchange circuit boards and nonetheless anticipate a functioning HomePod. Even so, it is evident Apple considers repairability to be a precedence this time round, a lot because it does with the usual iPhone 14 and different current merchandise.
Not that Apple has a lot selection however to make the HomePod extra fix-friendly. Each federal and state governments are pushing for right-to-repair mandates. If Apple did not make the speaker simpler to take care of, it risked a political pushback. And whereas we would not rely on Apple including the HomePod to its Self Service Restore program, the second-gen’s design makes that prospect extra lifelike.
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