Apple to Charge $279 to Repair or Replace a Damaged HomePod

Megalith

Megalith

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Apple’s smart speaker was released just this Friday, but the bad news is already rolling in: aside from a power cable that can be damaged when detached, repairs will be very expensive. Owners without AppleCare+ will need to pay $279, which is $70 less than the price of a brand-new unit.

Since the HomePod is more of a stationary product placed on a desk or kitchen countertop, many customers may opt against purchasing AppleCare+ for the speaker. But if you have children or pets, or worry about splashing it in the kitchen, then it may be worth considering AppleCare+ for its potential savings.
 
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I know a few extremely loyal Apple-Faithfuls. Even they have been scoffing at these. (Although they did assure me the sound quality would be a premium experience.)
Given the cost, I just don't see many of these selling. Echo and Google Home blow it away as far as home integration and their respective abilities as personal assistants. While the audio quality isn't necessarily great (Echo Dot's are really meant to be used for Alexa - you can plug in external speakers if you want), they are a lot cheaper and quite frankly do a lot more.
The repair costs are ridiculous. I think I'd just buy a new one instead of repairing it.
 
While I'm not interested, I was in Best Buy the other day and they had one on display. It sounds so much better than their Sonos speakers they had.
 
Not that I am in the market for this product, also I enjoy some of Apples products/services.

But screw Apple on this one, seems like a blantent ripoff.
 
Lol at this point buy a new one to get the warranty ... This price is set to flag this as throwaway product...
 
Apple: continuing the courageous trend of leading the charge for disposable technology. They've made mostly throw away products since... as long as I can remember. Mac running slow? Forget upgrading the old one, buy a new one! iPhone sluggish? Get a new one! Sure, they'll "recycle" them now, for a fee, but Apple has always made products designed to be obsolete and replaced instead of refurbished or repaired by the user.

Don't even get me started on the scam that is Apple Care.
 
It's a speaker, that sits on the shelf, there really isn't much to go wrong with it. Even the cord will almost never move. So it really doesn't matter. I am sure it will have some default warranty so ya, there would be no reason to buy apple care on this thing anyway.
 
rudy said:
It's a speaker, that sits on the shelf, there really isn't much to go wrong with it. Even the cord will almost never move. So it really doesn't matter. I am sure it will have some default warranty so ya, there would be no reason to buy apple care on this thing anyway.
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That's my thought. Aside from random failure that would be covered under the included warranty - what could you be doing with it that could damage it? Like the article snippet says, it's just about up-selling for pet/kid protection.
 
Steve Jobs would be rolling in his grave, except he might damage it and Apple would charge him half his fortune to fix it.

This is ridiculous. Say what you will about Jobs, but he made sure to deliver quality hardware, and if they fucked up, they owned up to it and fixed it. The fuck is Cook thinking allowing these products (wireless ear pods exploding, battery on iphones going to shit, etc) to be released without further QA? I'm not an apple fan by any means but I recognize they used to deliver solid hardware. And the amount they're charging to fix it... Christ.
 
One of these days Apple is going to wake up and realize Cook has to go. He's been nothing but an assclown since he took over.
 
I sincerely and honestly thought Apple products came with at least a year of warranty AND customer service protection, shit I had no idea is only 90days of CS.
Just, I mean WTF is the Apple premium is for?
I believed it so much that I was telling a newish owner of iphone 8.. I mean I was just saying call and get help you should have all kinds of help, its an Apple, it's not like my 60$ cheap flight by night no-service phone.
No sir, 90 days CS unless you had paid extra. Just WFT, I know you can add and pay for all kinds of services if you buy like an HP computer, but shit, you just start much lower as it is.. here like and idiot, I thought Apple just rolled that shit in their high prices (the Customer service) but they don't, they just rip you off over and over.. WOW.
I also thought you could get same day repairs (as a matter of a rule) in your phone at the Apple store for like battery and shit.. apparently that is a no too.
 
Better get these to go with it

1517578083542.jpg
 
Uvaman2 said:
I sincerely and honestly thought Apple products came with at least a year of warranty AND customer service protection, shit I had no idea is only 90days of CS.
Just, I mean WTF is the Apple premium is for?
I believed it so much that I was telling a newish owner of iphone 8.. I mean I was just saying call and get help you should have all kinds of help, its an Apple, it's not like my 60$ cheap flight by night no-service phone.
No sir, 90 days CS unless you had paid extra. Just WFT, I know you can add and pay for all kinds of services if you buy like an HP computer, but shit, you just start much lower as it is.. here like and idiot, I thought Apple just rolled that shit in their high prices (the Customer service) but they don't, they just rip you off over and over.. WOW.
I also thought you could get same day repairs (as a matter of a rule) in your phone at the Apple store for like battery and shit.. apparently that is a no too.
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Back in the 90's I had a friend with a couple of Mac's he'd bought brand new from Apple. You can imagine the price tags. After the warranty expired he'd ask me for help on basic things like ram upgrades, drive replacements, etc. He was using them for audio recording for his new fledgling Record label. Unfortunately there were sometimes more complicated issues with the software he was using along with OS issues(pre-OSX). At one point I asked him why he didn't just call them for assistance. He explained their phone support service plan(which he had but I don't remember the price) along with its limitations and how you could still rack up additional charges. I was floored by this business model and it pretty much destroyed my opinion of Apple. Since then I've tried to find reasons to respect them again, and occasionally there might be one detail, but 99% of their business model disgusts me. Your experience with the Iphone 8 owner only further confirms it hasn't changed in twenty years. Must be working great for them though.
 
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I had a few customers leave Windows/PCs a few years ago because they were 'fed up' with all the issues.

A few years later they are all back on Windows based machines.

"Had enough of that Apple crap!" was the general response. Hidden costs and poor after-market support also played a part.
 
Jehuty said:
Steve Jobs would be rolling in his grave, except he might damage it and Apple would charge him half his fortune to fix it.

This is ridiculous. Say what you will about Jobs, but he made sure to deliver quality hardware, and if they fucked up, they owned up to it and fixed it. The fuck is Cook thinking allowing these products (wireless ear pods exploding, battery on iphones going to shit, etc) to be released without further QA? I'm not an apple fan by any means but I recognize they used to deliver solid hardware. And the amount they're charging to fix it... Christ.
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Obviously you do not remember bumpgate.
 
I didn't even know about this POS, but this vid came across my recommended vids yesterday so I check it out. This guy does a pretty good explanation of why this thing is complete garbage.



I'm of the opinion that all the other "home assistants" are garbage to begin with too though, so I'm an equal hater on all of these things, not just because it's Apple.
 
rudedog said:
While I'm not interested, I was in Best Buy the other day and they had one on display. It sounds so much better than their Sonos speakers they had.
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Unter Dog said:
I’m curious if you remember which sonos specifically?
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Another thing to be curious and/or aware of is that Best Buy is known to screw with the settings of certain products to make other sponsored products seem better by comparison. They got caught using poor display settings on some TVs to make others more attractive. Would not be surprised if Apple encouraged Best Buy to use settings that would disadvantage Sonos when compared to the HomePod.
 
daglesj said:
I had a few customers leave Windows/PCs a few years ago because they were 'fed up' with all the issues.

A few years later they are all back on Windows based machines.

"Had enough of that Apple crap!" was the general response. Hidden costs and poor after-market support also played a part.
Click to expand...

They obviously did it wrong.
 
Teenyman45 said:
Another thing to be curious and/or aware of is that Best Buy is known to screw with the settings of certain products to make other sponsored products seem better by comparison. They got caught using poor display settings on some TVs to make others more attractive. Would not be surprised if Apple encouraged Best Buy to use settings that would disadvantage Sonos when compared to the HomePod.
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IIRC, "Getting Caught" amounted to one dude looking at the TV settings and blogging about it on the Internet.

So, it was blogged on the Internet which means it was not only true, but a widespread issue.
 
MMitch said:
Lol at this point buy a new one to get the warranty ... This price is set to flag this as throwaway product...
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there was a certain model of brother desktop laser printers that it was cheaper to buy a new printer then to buy a new drum. and also with the whole new printer you got a "free" toner cartridge.

LOL
 
katanaD said:
there was a certain model of brother desktop laser printers that it was cheaper to buy a new printer then to buy a new drum. and also with the whole new printer you got a "free" toner cartridge.

LOL
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Not sure what model but the included drums aren’t fully filled, in most cases.

LOL
 
T4rd said:
I didn't even know about this POS, but this vid came across my recommended vids yesterday so I check it out. This guy does a pretty good explanation of why this thing is complete garbage.



I'm of the opinion that all the other "home assistants" are garbage to begin with too though, so I'm an equal hater on all of these things, not just because it's Apple.
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Shit, that is freaking pathetic.. just WOW, hours on hold.
10 cent Chinese GARBAGE can do Bluetooth.
This is a multi-billion dollar corporation, selling premium products at very healthy profit margins.
Just WOW.
 
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TechLarry said:
IIRC, "Getting Caught" amounted to one dude looking at the TV settings and blogging about it on the Internet.

So, it was blogged on the Internet which means it was not only true, but a widespread issue.
Click to expand...

It was going on my then local best buy as well. So that makes at least two...
 
I mean... who really needs 90% of the technology we have today. I have no purpose for a speaker that sounds like shit that i can ask what the weather is like outside or what dumb politics are occurring in the world.

I mean... Nobody needs a Porsche or a BMW, you can get by just fine with a Toyota or a Mazda. Some people just like expensive toys, some people have yachts, more power to them. I really don't see why this is such a hubbub.
 
I don't see how it can make much of a dent at this time. It's way late to market and 400% the price with less overall support and features. I own many apple products yet I have 5 Amazon Eco's. Just to "replace them all with Apple would be $1750 dollars... that aint happening.
 
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