The new HomePod 2 looks very similar to its predecessor from the outside. Although BGR has already detailed some of the differences between the two models, iFixit published a teardown of Apple’s newest smart speaker. In the video, the company shows what’s different from the inside and if the HomePod 2 is more repairable than the first-generation.
While in 2018, iFixit literally had to cut the device open, the company said that calling that teardown “excruciating would be an understatement” because the HomePod’s “cemented-together plastic was a nightmare to get apart and the amount of destruction we inflicted on that device was a sight to see.”
This time, iFixit was able to easily disassemble the HomePod 2 as Apple had dialed back on the amount of glue the first generation used. By taking off the mesh cover, the company could remove the speaker’s top portion, which holds the logic board. Here’s a bit more of the process:
The woofer lifts right out but is still attached by a cable to the amplifier board deep down inside the pod. Our handy bendy driver attachment makes a rare appearance to help us reach all the awkwardly placed screws securing the boards down inside the pod. With those removed, I can remove the middle section of the case and get up close and personal with the power supply and amplifier board.
One of the things iFixit praised during the HomePod 2 teardown was the huge heatsink used to keep the digital amp cool, as it’s a good indication of how seriously Apple takes audio quality. It’s also possible to see the LEDs that light the new top of the HomePod, the S7 chip, and even the same humidity and temperature sensors available with the HomePod mini.
iFixit says it will now test repairing the HomePod 2 to discover whether Apple holds any software gotchas or if “anyone” could easily repair this product. You can watch the full teardown in the video below.
