As soon as a product is launched, it is natural that many news about it appear, with a discovery here and another there. It is like HomePod, it is not being different.
When we did the unboxing his here in MacMagazine, we think that the power cable was completely attached (embedded) to the device, but this is not entirely true.
A Reddit user noted that yes, the HomePod cable is removable, but it takes a certain amount of strength to do this. We then decided to test and proved that, yes, it is possible to remove the cable … but perhaps this is not an advisable practice.
As you can see, there is a plug made for (un) fitting, however the force that is required to remove the cable is an indication that this should not be done – or Apple does not want it done. The information is even there in the device’s User Guide, as noted by the MacRumors:
The HomePod includes a built-in power cord that must not be removed.
In rare circumstances when the cable is removed or damaged, do not attempt to remove or re-attach it to the HomePod. If the cable is removed or damaged, damage to the cable or the internal components of the HomePod may occur.
If you insist on removing the cable or, if for some reason, something goes wrong, the repair can be done, but it costs $ 29 in the United States (£ 25 in the UK and AU $ 39 in Australia) – and you’ll need to deliver your entire HomePod to Apple, not just your cable!
If there is so much protocol for a single cable, why did Apple define it as partly removable? We can think of some possible explanations – none actually proven by Apple.
The way the entire device was coated, its finish and how it was assembled, was purposely made to look like a single piece of hardware – the fixing of Jony Ive by devices unibody. That is, it may appear totally non-removable for aesthetic reasons, design.
On the other hand, perhaps the ability to remove it has to do – as the 9to5Mac – with HomePod available at Apple stores. And a good explanation for why the entire device needs to be taken in for repair would be the safety factor – once the cable is damaged, it is possible that it will affect the entire device.
One possibility for the cable to be removable would be the ease of changing cables from region to region, depending on the variation of plugs around the world – which, for me, is one of the most plausible explanations.
Anyway, as we have already mentioned in our videos, this is a device that carries the word “Casa” in its name; that is, you will probably leave it standing in your house and you won’t even have to pull the cable out. If you ultimately need it, know that you can do it, but at your own risk.
