New HomePod 'surprisingly easy' to disassemble and repair
Wesley HilliardThe new HomePod is much easier to disassemble
A new teardown video from iFixit shows exactly how easy it is to take the new HomePod apart, a significant step up from the original.
Apple's 2018 HomePod was effectively built like a tank and needed sawing, cutting, and a big mess to get inside. The 2023 model has proven to be much more simple to disassemble, thanks to less adhesive throughout.
A short video from iFixit showcases the step-by-step process of taking the HomePod apart. It seems almost easy to disassemble with a few screws and some leverage for removing the upper cap housing the logic board.
The bottom of the logic board revealed the S7 processor borrowed from the Apple Watch Series 7, and the top shows a series of small RGB LEDs that produce the swirling colors under the top glass.
The center half of the HomePod is dedicated to the main 4-inch woofer, which actuates 20mm during playback. Under that is the amplifier board, then deeper still are the five tweeters.
The audio amplifier notably has a giant heat sink, which iFixit explains is to ensure temperatures remain low during use. That's due to temperature's ability to affect audio.
According to the video, the humidity and temperature detector found in the base of the HomePod is identical to the one found in the HomePod mini.
At the end, iFixit calls the second-generation HomePod "surprisingly easy to dismantle."
Andrew Orr
Amber Neely
William Gallagher
