SAN FRANCISCO -- Apple's new internet-connected speaker is proving to be more appealing to the ears than to the eyes, depending on where the device is placed.

Some people who bought the just-released $349 speaker, dubbed the HomePod, are reporting it leaves a white ring on wooden furniture.

Apple says the problem often occurs with speakers that, like the HomePod, are equipped with a silicon base to minimize vibration. The company recommended wiping wood tarnished by the HomePod with a soft or damp cloth, or putting the speaker on another device.

The marks left by the HomePod threaten to stain Apple's reputation for designing products that frequently get as many rave reviews for the way they look as for how they work.