HomePod Teardown
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 19 Steps
Siri’s made a stylish comeback—this time as a Mac Pro-inspired cylinder that doubles as a speaker with a voice assistant twist. You can now ask Siri anything and get answers in crisp, 360-degree sound. Curious about how Apple managed to pack such impressive audio into a compact design? We’re about to dive in and take a closer look. Want more teardown adventures? Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. For updates delivered straight to you, sign up for our newsletter.
Step 1
– Curious about the cool tech Apple packed into this device? Here’s what they’ve shared with us:
– Apple A8 processor
– 4″ high-excursion, upward-firing woofer
– Beamforming seven-tweeter array
– Beamforming six-microphone array
– Low-frequency microphone for real-time woofer calibration
– Top-mounted touch interface
– 802.11ac Wi-Fi with MIMO + Bluetooth 5.0
Step 2
No bulky wall-wart transformer here! Apple cleverly made the cable removable—although, we were definitely fooled at first. And hey, the braided cord cover? A nice touch!
– It’s not the trailblazer of smart speakers, nor the tallest or tiniest, but it definitely has that unmistakable Apple vibe.
– It still rocks that classic cylindrical shape that’s become a staple in the world of 360° smart speakers.
– One of the standout features is that, unlike some other smart speakers out there, the HomePod comes with a built-in power supply and a power cable that’s normally not meant to be removed. But hey, if you’re feeling adventurous, you might find it’s removable with a little tug!
Step 3
Interesting spot for a few microphones! Do you think these little openings might be for barometric sensing?
– Take a look under the foot and you’ll spot a bunch of regulatory info quietly tucked away: FCC details, e-waste warnings, and various international markings like those for the EU and Australia. Our model’s sporting a permanent US plug, but don’t worry, it’s got a double-insulated mark to keep things safe.
– Say hello to the fresh new model number, A1639.
– And of course, a couple of tiny holes, adding to the charm.
Step 4
Apple’s engineers designed this mesh to be see-through for sound and to keep dust and debris out of the HomePod’s inner parts. It’s all about protecting and perfecting the sound experience.
– Now we get to admire Apple’s sleek 3D acoustic mesh up close—pretty cool, right?
– At the top of the HomePod, you’ll find a modern touch interface (perfect for when Siri wants to chill) along with a familiar LED indicator.
– Thanks to some nifty X-ray magic from Creative Electron, we can see inside—check out those massive magnets hiding in there (just look for those dark spots)!
Step 5
– The X-ray tipped us off to some hidden screws under the foot, so we got to work on the sticky adhesive holding it down. It took some serious heat and patience, but we managed to carefully peel the foot away.
– Even with the heads-up about the screws underneath, we braced ourselves after that sticky battle…
– …and breathed a sigh of relief to find Torx screws just waiting to be unscrewed. There’s also a 14-pin port under the gluey foot—likely for testing or programming with Pogo pins during assembly.
Step 6
Alright, let’s see what kind of secret handshake we need to open this up!
– Looks like those screws aren’t as cooperative as we hoped. After getting them out, the plastic plate they’re supposed to free is… still stuck. The mesh is putting up a good fight, holding the access plate down.
– We definitely don’t want to cut the mesh, so we carefully slide a pick along the glued-down edge and gently pull out the plate. And what do we find? More stubborn plastic that’s not going anywhere.
Step 7
– Alright, we might be dealing with something sharp here. We gave our best effort to keep that mesh looking seamless, but hey, sometimes you’ve just got to make a cut through that fancy fabric.
– As we slice through the robust, wiry 3D mesh, we discover a secondary internal fabric sleeve waiting for us.
– Lucky for us, the interior body isn’t as seamless as the mesh, and we uncover some hidden Torx screws snugly tucked beneath those stylish rubber plugs.
– This thinner, more flexible sleeve is nestled under the top, so it’s holding its ground for now.
Step 8
This design lets sound waves smoothly pass through the fabric with minimal bouncing around, while keeping the dust at bay. It’s a win-win!
– Let’s take a moment to appreciate the craft behind this seam. It’s like we get a sneak peek into the fiber magic that holds everything together.
– Okay, no magic here, but now we can see the mesh up close—it’s a layered net with little wiry coils sandwiched between the layers.
– Now that the mesh is off, check it out—it had a drawstring all along! Could it be? A non-destructive way in from the top?
Step 9
What seems straightforward on the surface is actually a maze waiting to be navigated.
– Peel back the glue-covered top to reveal more screws—yep, more screws, but no clear path yet.
– After a little more heat and another layer of glue, we dig deeper and finally hit the jackpot.
– Behind door number three: a well-protected board, a long ribbon cable, and some mooring posts for the drawstring.
Step 10
Each plus and minus sign is neatly cut straight through the board, rocking its own trio of LEDs and a light guide to channel the light exactly where it needs to go.
– Peeling back the shield on this board gives us a peek at the cool tech lighting up the top:
– Flip the board over and you’ll spot the LEDs and the diffuser, which softens up the indicator for that cloudy glow.
– Turn it back and check out the tidy pattern of tiny dimples—likely a capacitive grid, ready to catch your taps and swipes from above.
– Texas Instruments TLC5971 LED driver—handling all those twinkly lights.
– Cypress CY8C4245LQI-483 Programmable System-on-Chip, probably in charge of touch controls.
– ON Semiconductor FPF1039 load switch for smooth power management.
– Texas Instruments TPS62135 4 A step-down converter—keeping everything powered just right.
Step 11
– Next up, we’re pulling out the disc that holds those fancy drawstring moorings. Behind it, you’ll find the main logic board.
– Here’s the chip lineup we’re dealing with:
– Interestingly, on the flip side, there are some empty SMD pads. These could be for a few chips and a handful of passives. Could the HomePod have had a quick design tweak?
– Apple A8 APL1011 SoC (yep, we’ve seen this one before, but it’s got a different role here), probably paired with 1 GB of RAM (stacked in the usual PoP configuration).
– Toshiba THGBX4G7D2LLDYC 16 GB NAND flash.
– USI 339S00450 WiFi/Bluetooth module, which likely hides a Broadcom BCM43572 inside.
– Apple/Dialog Semiconductor 338S00100-AZ PMIC.
Step 12
Traditionally, folks might bump up the cone’s size for better sound, but Apple took a different route! They cranked up the voice coil travel to 20 mm p-p, meaning they needed a bigger magnet. This clever move keeps the speaker nice and compact while still moving enough air to pump out those rich bass notes. How cool is that?
– After a good bit of trying every trick in the book—heat, twisting, you name it—we hit a wall. So, out come the hacksaw and the ultrasonic cutter, and at last, the mega-sized woofer is free.
– That giant magnet on the woofer? It’s not just for show. Strong bass needs a speaker that can push a serious amount of air.
– Heads up: This part is a real challenge. If you’re determined to crack it open yourself, patience and persistence are your best friends. And if things get too tricky, you can always schedule a repair.
Step 13
It’s no surprise that Apple’s repair costs can reach 80-85% of the device’s price—this stuff is tricky! But if we’ve missed the mark, feel free to sprinkle us with your secret sauce for success!
– Once you’ve sliced and pried your way into this speaker fortress, you’re faced with the final challenge: a threaded ring.
– It seems we can safely say that at some point, the HomePod was designed to be unscrewed, allowing for the separation of the control/woofer component from the tweeter/power supply unit.
– But hey, no need to feel guilty about getting a little creative! The adhesive visible on the lower part of the tube suggests that these threads weren’t intended for consumer access—this thing was glued shut.
Step 14
– Peeling back another layer, you’ll find a two-part power supply: an inner core that handles the AC/DC conversion, and an outer ring that sends power out to all eight speakers.
– The AC-in board is packed with some seriously sturdy hardware and sealed with epoxy—probably so the heavy beats don’t shake it loose. Power moves from here to the ring board through some solid posts, just like in the Mac Pro.
Step 15
– Here’s part two of the power supply adventure: the Stargate Halo power distribution ring has entered the chat.
– On the capacitor-packed side of this cosmic board sits an STMicroelectronics STM32L051C8T7—an ultra-low-power ARM MCU keeping things running smooth.
– Flip it over and you’ll spot:
– International Rectifier PowlRaudio 98-0431 audio amplifier
– Cirrus Logic CS4350 stereo DAC with integrated PLL
– Circling the edge: seven Analog Devices SSM3515B audio amps—one for each tweeter, amping up the sound!
– Maxim Integrated MAX9938 and Texas Instruments INA210 current sense amplifiers
– Texas Instruments TPS54560 5A step-down converter
Step 16
This little mic listens in on the woofer’s output and uses some clever signal processing to keep the bass in check, making sure everything sounds balanced and smooth.
– Carefully pry the small board away from the adhesive sticking it to the barrel. You’ll spot a pair of Conexant CX20810 ADC chips from Synaptics hanging out near the microphone array.
– Next up: the rest of the microphones. They’re lined up in two strips of three mics each, glued in place inside the case. Each mic sits above a funnel-shaped channel, ready to pick up every sound.
– And don’t overlook the board’s own mic—most likely the low frequency microphone for woofer calibration, doing its own thing.
Step 17
– Let’s remove another threaded ring from the HomeBody and gain access to our dazzling tweeters, complete with their trusty power posts.
– As we inspect a port, there’s a bit of tension in the air. Maybe it’s just the tweeter feeling a little jumpy!
– Time to whip out the ultrasonic cutter and get this unit open, shall we?
– Absolutely—those shiny gold screwposts are the lifeline delivering power to our tweeters.
That tiny folded horn at the front of the tweeter isn’t just a quirky detail—it’s a clever trick used by audio engineers to boost a speaker’s efficiency and help direct the sound where you want it. Think of it as the speaker’s way of whispering, ‘Hey, I’ve got sound to send your way!’ This concept dates back to the days of the gramophone and still makes a difference today. So, when you see that little fold, know it’s there to make your sound clearer and more focused. If you need help, you can always schedule a repair.
Step 18
Less pressure keeps the dome and the tunes from getting all wobbly while the tweeter bounces back and forth thousands of times each second.
– Now that the tweeter assembly’s open, take a peek at that vented, horn-loaded tweeter—this little powerhouse is what brings the HomePod’s crisp sound to life.
– Those side vents on the voice coil bobbin and the four holes at the back of the tweeter are there to let air escape, so pressure doesn’t build up behind the dome as it moves.
– Still on the lookout for any diamond tweeters… Dr. Geaves, care to weigh in?
Step 19
– And with that, here are the key components that bring a Siri house to life inside a HomePod.
– Ever wondered how Apple fits everything in there? Did we miss a clever speaker feature? Drop your thoughts in the comments, and don’t forget to check out our teardown video on YouTube.
– Finally, it’s time to give a repairability score. While there are plenty of positives, if the opening process isn’t reversible, we’ll need to factor that into the score accordingly.