Apple HomePod can stain surfaces it is left on, company says

Apple's new smart speaker can stain the surfaces it is left on, the company has said. Numerous reports online claim that the plastic bottom of the new smart speaker can leave a ring-shaped mark wherever the HomePod has been. The problem appears limited to specific woods that have been treated in particular ways – but when it happens, a visible white ring is left on the otherwise brown surface. Now Apple has acknowledged the problem and said that many speakers that have silicone bases, which keep the vibration from rattling the surface, can cause this kind of discoloration. It only appears to happen on some wooden surfaces that have been treated by oils – but those surfaces are often used on kitchen worktops, and that represents one of the key places that people will be using the new speaker.