HomePod Mini Repair Fee is Only $20 Cheaper Than Buying a New One Without AppleCare+

by

Ahead of the HomePod mini launching next week, Apple has revealed that it will charge a fee of $79 to service the speaker for customers without AppleCare+ coverage. This is only $20 cheaper than buying an entirely new HomePod mini for $99.

homepod mini event shot
By comparison, AppleCare+ for the HomePod mini involves a $15 upfront cost and an additional $15 per-incident fee for up to two incidents of accidental damage protection every 12 months. Ultimately, if you damage your HomePod mini and need it serviced, it will cost you $30 with AppleCare+ or $79 without in the United States.

While many customers may find AppleCare+ unnecessary for the HomePod mini, those with pets or young children may want to consider purchasing coverage.

HomePod mini pre-orders began November 6, and the speaker launches Monday, November 16.

Related Roundup: HomePod mini
Buyer's Guide: HomePod Mini (Buy Now)
Related Forum: HomePod, HomeKit, CarPlay, Home & Auto Technology

Top Rated Comments

G4DPII Avatar
G4DPII
9 months ago
Ha ha ha, what a crock! So Apple are now basically telling it's customers it's better value for money to buy a new product rather than get it repaired.

So much for caring for the environment.
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
darthbane2k Avatar
darthbane2k
9 months ago
Not sure I care. The notion of buying insurance for a mini smart speaker is absurd.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Brian Y Avatar
Brian Y
9 months ago

Some of the comments here are rather comical.
How much time and effort would it cost to fix a HomePod mini?


Ithe exterior fabric is damaged, do they have an option to replace that in store? What about the internal parts?

The fact that there’s an upfront price for any repair is pretty good. The fact that it costs 80% of the cost of the product simply shows that replacing key parts of the product isn’t as simple as some people would like.

It could also suggest that Apple have priced the product itself rather competitive. I doubt we’d have these same complaints if the repair was $79 but new ones were $149
But Apple is claiming to be environmentally friendly. If your power cord gets damaged, it's a whole new unit. If the fabric rips, it's a whole new unit. Cable inside becomes loose... guess what? Whole new unit!

But don't worry, the ice caps are doing good because we didn't get a charger with our new iPhones.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Brian Y Avatar
Brian Y
9 months ago
Sorry, but this is absolute bull pricing.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ouimetnick Avatar
ouimetnick
9 months ago
That’s because they don’t repair them. They replace them and recycle the old one.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
miniyou64 Avatar
miniyou64
9 months ago
Apple is making some very stupid decisions lately. They used to be premium products because they worked flawlessly. Now they’re just over priced. This device’s value proposition is Siri. Siri gets worse every iteration and I hear it’s even more terrible on HomePod. No buy
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments

Top Stories

homepod mini on table

HomePod Mini Begins Shipping to Customers, First Orders Arrive November 16

Saturday November 14, 2020 7:11 pm PST by
HomePod mini pre-orders are beginning to ship to customers around the world ahead of the speaker's launch next week. While many orders remain in the "Processing" or "Preparing to Ship" stages in the United States, one MacRumors reader in Germany shared a screenshot of his HomePod mini marked as shipped on Apple's online store, with estimated November 17 delivery. HomePod mini orders are also ...
Read Full Article • 62 comments
homepod mini on shelf

Hands-On With the New HomePod Mini

Tuesday November 17, 2020 12:13 pm PST by
Apple's new $99 HomePod mini officially launched yesterday, with the first pre-order purchases arriving to customers and Apple beginning in-store sales. We picked up a new HomePod mini and thought we'd test it out for MacRumors readers who are curious how Apple's smaller HomePod measures up to the original model. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. The HomePod mini...
Read Full Article • 123 comments
homepod mini event shot

Watch: HomePod Mini Reviews, Sound Quality Tests, and Unboxing Videos

Thursday November 12, 2020 6:01 am PST by
Apple's embargo has lifted on reviews for the HomePod mini ahead of the speaker launching on Monday. In addition to our in-depth HomePod mini reviews roundup, we've gathered a collection of unboxing videos and sound quality tests below. As its name implies, the HomePod mini is a smaller version of the standard HomePod, standing just 3.3 inches tall. However, despite its more compact,...
Read Full Article • 70 comments
homepod mini thumb feature

HomePod Mini Launching in Additional Countries in June

Tuesday April 20, 2021 12:09 pm PDT by
Apple today announced that the HomePod mini will be launching in additional countries in June, including Austria, New Zealand, and Ireland. Pricing is set at €99 in Austria and Ireland, and $159 in New Zealand, with the usual space gray and white color options. HomePod mini first launched in October 2020 in the United States, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Japan,...
Read Full Article • 16 comments
HomePodandMini feature

New Mid-Range HomePod Could Be on the Way

Tuesday February 2, 2021 7:03 am PST by
After the success of the HomePod mini, Apple is reportedly mulling over offering a new, mid-range HomePod model that would sit between the original HomePod and the HomePod mini. Apple currently offers two HomePod models. One is the $299 HomePod, with seven tweeters, a four-inch woofer, six microphones, and the iPhone 6's A8 chip. The other is the $99 HomePod mini, which features a single...
Read Full Article
homepod mini thumb feature

HomePod Mini Launching in More Countries, Can Be Used as Apple TV Speaker Starting This Fall

Monday June 7, 2021 11:30 am PDT by
Apple today announced that the HomePod mini can be set as a default speaker output on the Apple TV 4K starting later this year. Apple also announced that the HomePod mini will be available to purchase in Austria, Ireland, and New Zealand starting later this month, followed by Italy later this year. The speaker first launched in November 2020. In March, Apple announced that the full-sized ...
Read Full Article • 45 comments
Apple homepod mini white 10132020

Apple Announces HomePod mini With Spherical Design and S5 Chip for $99

Tuesday October 13, 2020 10:05 am PDT by
Apple today announced the HomePod mini with a new spherical design and the S5 chip at its "Hi, Speed" event. The device is the first addition to the HomePod product lineup since the launch of the original HomePod, and is much smaller at just 3.3-inches tall, as opposed to the original's 6.8-inches, and looks substantially different with a new spherical design. Following in the footsteps of ...
Read Full Article • 236 comments
Apple homepod mini white 10132020

HomePod Mini AppleCare+ Coverage Costs $15

Tuesday October 13, 2020 12:00 pm PDT by
Customers who order Apple's newly announced $99 HomePod mini can get AppleCare+ for $15 when pre-orders start on November 6. Every HomePod mini comes with one year of hardware repair coverage through its limited warranty and up to 90 days of complimentary tech support, but additional AppleCare+ coverage gets up to two years of tech support and accidental damage coverage for the spherical...
Read Full Article • 52 comments
homepod mini sale

Deals: HomePod Mini Sees First Discount, Available for $89 at Expercom ($10 Off)

Tuesday April 13, 2021 11:11 am PDT by
Apple reseller Expercom is offering the first straight cash discount we've ever seen on HomePod mini, priced at $89.00, down from $99.00. This is a new HomePod mini in Space Gray (White currently isn't on sale), and it has an estimated delivery in 3-7 business days. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Expercom. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, ...
Read Full Article • 26 comments
homepod mini homepod

Top Five Reasons to Buy a HomePod Mini

Thursday October 22, 2020 9:19 am PDT by
Apple last week introduced a new $99 HomePod mini, which is a more affordable alternative to the full-size HomePod that's been around since 2017. The HomePod mini isn't shipping out until November, but on paper, it sounds great for those who have been eyeing a HomePod but haven't wanted to shell out $299. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. In our latest YouTube video, ...
Read Full Article • 194 comments