GoKawiilStephen Schenck / Android Authority
TL;DR A Reddit user claims they bought Google’s Home Speaker from Walmart before its wider availability.
Their hands-on impressions praise the speaker’s sound quality and simple setup process.
Unfortunately, the user can confirm that the speaker has a permanently attached power cable.
The new Google Home Speaker may not be officially shipping out just yet, but one lucky shopper appears to have gotten their hands on it early.
A Reddit user says they spotted the new Google Home Speaker sitting on a Walmart shelf while traveling for work. According to the post, a store associate unknowingly sold them the device despite it apparently not being scheduled for release yet.
The user has since shared their early impressions along with an unboxing video, and the biggest surprise isn’t the speaker’s design or sound quality. Instead, it’s the permanently attached power cable.
What is your initial reaction to the Google Home Speaker's attached power cable? 73 votes I'd prefer a detachable cable for greater flexibility, but I'll likely still buy it. 29 % It doesn't bother me; I'm more focused on sound quality and functionality. 47 % It's a major drawback that might dissuade me from buying it. 23 % My opinion is more complicated (elaborate in the comments). 1 %
According to the buyer, the Google Home Speaker appears to come with a non-removable USB-C power cable that’s about 5 feet long. The cable then connects to a removable 30W power brick. In other words, while the power adapter itself can be replaced, the cable attached to the speaker cannot simply be unplugged and swapped out.
“Unfortunately, the biggest thing that stood out to me was the irremovable power cable,” the Redditor wrote, calling it a “nightmare for repairability.”
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