You Can Remove HomePod’s Power Cable But Here’s Why You Shouldn’t

Despite reports to the contrary, the HomePod power cable is, in fact, removable. But just because you can doesn’t mean that you should.

Since HomePod’s announcement and release, there have been conflicting answers to the question of whether the device’s cable would be removable by users. Until a couple days ago, most people agreed that it wasn’t.

Then, over the weekend, a brave HomePod owner demonstrated that the power cable could technically be disconnected from the smart speaker. The user posted a photo and caption on Reddit, but some Redditors assumed the user was trolling (similar to the ill-advised iPhone 7 headphone jack “hack.”)

Well, it turns out that the user wasn’t kidding or trolling. He noted in a comment that “it was hard to unplug but it is definitely designed to be unplugged and replugged. It clicks back in with a very satisfying click.”

A video by 9to5Mac corroborated the fact that the HomePod power cable is detachable — but the publication also added that the action requires an inordinate amount of force to pull the cable out.

The cable can also be plugged back in with an equal amount of force, resulting in a fairly loud click. The power cable itself features two connectors, while the HomePod’s power port houses two prongs that insert into those connectors. Essentially, it’s not a hardwired power cable.

Why You Shouldn’t Remove the Power Cable

At this point, it’s strongly recommended that you don’t try this at home with your own $349 speaker. An Apple HomePod Service Readiness Guide advises that the cable should not be removed, and in the case that it is, should not be reattached.

“In the rare instance that the cable is detached or damaged, do not attempt to remove it or plug it back into HomePod. If the cable is removed or impaired, damage could have occurred to the cable or the internal components of HomePod,” the guide states.

In other words, attempting to remove the cable by force could result in damage to your HomePod or its components.

On another note, if your cable has been damaged, it’s not exactly as if you can replace it yourself. Apple has announced that cable repairs will cost a flat repair fee of $29. The company doesn’t sell replacement cables at its stores, and it’s likely that Genius Bars aren’t currently stocking cables, either —since repairs require that a HomePod is sent to a service center.

Luckily for HomePod owners, the $29 flat rate fee applies to any customer at any time, regardless of whether the damage was accidental. The HomePod itself does not need to be under AppleCare+ of the standard one-year warranty for that fee to apply.

As for why the power cable is technically removable, it likely has to do with ease of production. Rather than manufacturing different HomePod models for various regions of the world (which have different plugs), a detachable cable would allow Apple to make one HomePod and simply attach the appropriate international cable type during production.