Apple Says HomePod Mini Won't Leave Marks on Waxed or Oiled Wood Surfaces
Shortly after the full-size HomePod launched in 2018, some customers noticed that the speaker left white rings on wood surfaces with an oil or wax finish. Apple confirmed this possibility in a support document, noting that "it is not unusual for any speaker with a vibration-damping silicone base to leave mild marks when placed on some wooden surfaces," as a result of "oils diffusing between the silicone base and the table surface."
Fortunately, Apple says that it has addressed this matter with the HomePod mini, according to Rene Ritchie's review video:
It is unclear if Apple ever made any changes to the full-size HomePod to prevent it from leaving marks on waxed or oiled wood surfaces. Apple's support document, last updated in March 2020, still has a blurb about the matter:
It is not unusual for any speaker with a vibration-damping silicone base to leave mild marks when placed on some wooden surfaces. The marks can be caused by oils diffusing between the silicone base and the table surface, and will often go away after several days when the speaker is removed from the wooden surface. If not, wiping the surface gently with a soft damp or dry cloth may remove the marks. If marks persist, clean the surface with the furniture manufacturer's recommended cleaning process. If you're concerned about this, we recommend placing your HomePod on a different surface.
HomePod mini will begin arriving to customers on Monday, November 16. Priced at $99, the speaker is available to order in the United States, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Spain, and the UK. Read our HomePod mini reviews roundup and unboxing videos roundup for more impressions of the speaker.
Popular Stories
Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. Nearly nine months later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin's latest luxury vehicles, but that should change fairly soon.
In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis.
In his Powe...
Apple today confirmed to Reuters that it has acquired Q.ai, an Israeli startup that is working on artificial intelligence technology for audio.
Apple paid close to $2 billion for Q.ai, according to sources cited by the Financial Times. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone and audio brand Beats in 2014.
Q.ai has...
The calendar has turned to February, and a new report indicates that Apple's next product launch is "imminent," in the form of new MacBook Pro models.
"All signs point to an imminent launch of next-generation MacBook Pros that retain the current form factor but deliver faster chips," Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said on Sunday. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated...
Apple recently updated its online store with a new ordering process for Macs, including the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro.
There used to be a handful of standard configurations available for each Mac, but now you must configure a Mac entirely from scratch on a feature-by-feature basis. In other words, ordering a new Mac now works much like ordering an...
Apple is planning to launch new MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips alongside macOS 26.3, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
"Apple's faster MacBook Pros are planned for the macOS 26.3 release cycle," wrote Gurman, in his Power On newsletter today.
"I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated for the macOS 26.3 software cycle, which runs from...
