For iFixit, taking apart the first HomePod four years ago was nothing short of a nightmare, and the teardown experts were surprised at how easy it was to disassemble Apple’s latest HomePod 2. Here is a closer look at what the company changed to make the whole teardown process simpler.
Apple uses a ton of screws on the HomePod 2 instead of glue, which makes it significantly easier to repair, or replace the parts
Not only is the HomePod 2 cheaper at $299, but it is also easier to take apart. According to iFixit’s video below, all the glue present on the first-generation version has been replaced with screws, making it much simpler to take apart the latest smart speaker. One thing the video forgot to show was that this year’s model also has a removable cord, making things so much more convenient.
The fabric mesh surrounding the HomePod 2 is tied together with knots, and once that is removed, you get the entire speaker in its glory. All the screws are covered by some black caps, which are easy to remove. It does not take much to pry open the corner of the speaker. Apart from some awkwardly-placed screws, the HomePod 2’s amplifier and power supply are also easy to take apart.
On the HomePod 2, the humidity sensor is the same one present on the cheaper HomePod mini
There is also a giant heatsink present in the HomePod 2 to prevent audio distortion. Since heat distorts audio, this addition was set in place, so the sound is more crisp and clear. Right at the end, iFixit finds a humidity sensor, which is the same one that was found in the HomePod mini in an earlier teardown.
Unfortunately, the sensor in the previous smart speaker was not activated for some reason. iFixit notes that while the HomePod 2 is easier to tear down, they do not know if third-party repairs can be carried out on it seamlessly because Apple can have several software locks in place. It looks like we will find out when more testing is done. In the meantime, check out the entire video above and let us know what you think about Apple’s latest decision to cut down on the use of glue on the latest HomePod.
The post HomePod 2 Teardown Is Significantly More Repair-Friendly Than First Model, As Apple Replaces Adhesive For A Boatload of Screws by Omar Sohail appeared first on Wccftech.
