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[Dawg]

Apple is closing in on its largest ever acquisition with the planned $3.2bn purchase of Beats Electronics, the headphone maker and music streaming operator founded by music producer Jimmy Iovine and the hip-hop star Dr Dre.
The deal could be announced as early as next week, people familiar with the negotiations said, but they cautioned that some details had yet to be agreed and talks could still fall apart.

A deal of this scale would represent a radical departure for Tim Cook, chief executive of the iPhone maker: under the late Steve Jobs, Apple was reluctant to pursue high-profile acquisitions.
Apple will acquire Beats’ streaming music service, which launched this year, and its audio equipment business, which includes its brand of headphones and audio equipment. The Beats management team will report to Mr Cook, said people familiar with the deal. Apple and Beats declined to comment.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e330e830-d6f3-11e3-b95e-00144feabdc0.html#axzz31ADibdhl

 

[KennyLinder]

Verge: http://www.theverge.com/2014/5/8/56...ring-buying-beats-electronics-for-3-2-billion

 

[smokeandmirrors]

Interesting... I'm not sure what Apple gets out of this to make it worth it?

 

[Gentleman Jack]

Beats makes overpriced hardware, perfect match for Apple's hardware business.

 

[Ovid]

They better ask for some stock in that deal.

 

[chickdigger802]

i hope this means they will stop putting the speakers on the fucking back and bottom of the ipad.

 

[terrisus]

Beats makes overpriced hardware, perfect match for Apple's hardware business.

Came in here to say this.
Although I would've added "Overpriced, and inferior to other lesser-priced devices"

 

[Ominym]

Huh. I've always admired how Beats look, but couldn't take the sacrifice in sound quality especially at that price point.

 

[Regiruler]

Eugh. Maybe there'll be less people with the awful apple earbuds though. Seriously, I don't think it's possible to create any sort of headphones that leak more music than those do.

 

[FantasticMrFoxdie]

Ewww...Well very fitting for the theme of overpriced hardware

Spoiler

But atleast Apple has their OS's.

edit: beaten. lol

 

[TemplaerDude]

Came in here to say this.
Although I would've added "Overpriced, and inferior to other lesser-priced devices"

Shhhhh, don't make the drones mad.

 

[Aesius]

Dre is about to get straight paid.

 

[HoodWinked]

Interesting... I'm not sure what Apple gets out of this to make it worth it?

maybe just to stifle competition due to their high success of itunes.

 

[Somnid]

Beats and iPhone, a match made in doucheland.

Though maybe they'll start giving a shit about audio quality.

 

[fader]

Beats makes overpriced hardware, perfect match for Apple's hardware business.

yup yup. preppy rich kids flock to beats headphones and if they are directly attached to iphones/ipads it would be a money machine for apple.

 

[Thezez]

Beats by Tim Cook.

 

[Gouty]

Pretty amazing that anyone could create a product that's been around for ages, bring absolutely nothing new to the table nor any particular value and see such overwhelming success.

 

[terrisus]

Shhhhh, don't make the drones mad.

Which ones?
The Apple ones, or the Beats ones?

Spoiler

whynotboth.gif

 

[bodyboarder]

Got to do something with all that cash they have I suppose.

 

[FantasticMrFoxdie]

Beets by Tim Cook.

ftfy

Dre is about to get straight paid.

While we all wait for Detox

Unsure as to whether you're talking about Apple or Beats, since both have products that fit that description.

smh

 

[CarpeDeezNutz]

I've been djing for 11-12 years now, using sony/pioneer headphones mostly. I checked out some beats headphones, man those things feel cheap as fuck. Kids like to show them off cos of the look of them haha give me some Sonys any day over them.

 

[disappeared]

Detox confirmed.

 

[Gentleman Jack]

Dre is about to get straight paid.

Yeah. He's been making hardware deals like this for a while now. HP's put 'beats audio' on their laptops for a while. Other devices have it too I'm sure. It's a recognizable brand for consumers who just don't know any better, like people who still buy Monster Cable products.

 

[terrisus]

Pretty amazing that anyone could create a product that's been around for ages, bring absolutely nothing new to the table nor any particular value and see such overwhelming success.

Unsure as to whether you're talking about Apple or Beats, since both have products that fit that description.

 

[catmincer]

Totally helped HTC (!)

 

[zychi]

dont do it apple. dre will never make another album if he gets this rich!

 

[Mysterious]

Detox confirmed.

lol

 

[chickdigger802]

Pretty amazing that anyone could create a product that's been around for ages, bring absolutely nothing new to the table nor any particular value and see such overwhelming success.

marketing has always been the key to the success of a product, not the quality or any shit.

 

[kess]

I thought audiophiles thought Beats were the Bose of headphones.

 

[Gouty]

Unsure as to whether you're talking about Apple or Beats, since both have products that fit that description.

You're one of the worst posters on Neogaf.

 

[kick51]

i haven't seen Beats much in public for the past 2 years.

 

[terrisus]

You're one of the worst posters on Neogaf.

Love you too <3

 

[perryfarrell]

Horrible, Apple post-Jobs has really gone down the shitter

 

[Kusagari]

Beats became a success because it made wearing overpriced headphones a fashion statement.

 

[Zeppeli]

Totally helped HTC (!)

A licensing deal to use a branded equalizer does not equal purchasing an entire company

 

[smokeandmirrors]

Came in here to say this.
Although I would've added "Overpriced, and inferior to other lesser-priced devices"

Which ones?
The Apple ones, or the Beats ones?

Spoiler

whynotboth.gif

Unsure as to whether you're talking about Apple or Beats, since both have products that fit that description.

Did Apple kill your parents or something, jesus.

 

[Guevara]

Apple very rarely makes large acquisitions, I have trouble believing they would start with Beats

 

[Switch Back 9]

I'm furious that a man who grew up in an area like Compton is about to close a $3.2b deal and I remain broke having grown up comfortably in the suburbs. Booooo!!!

Spoiler

So lazy, so, so lazy

 

[kehs]

This is why Bill Gates doesn't want to leave his kids a bunch of money.

 

[Hasney]

like people who still buy Monster Cable products.

The same Monster Cable folks who actually manufactured all Beats for 3 years. Another match made in heaven.

 

[AkuMifune]

The same Monster Cable folks who actually manufactured all Beats for 3 years. Another match made in heaven.

Lol, didn't know that.

Perfection.

 

[Delta Assault]

Interesting... I'm not sure what Apple gets out of this to make it worth it?

Dr. Dre becomes one of the available voices for Siri.

 

[GK86]

Seems like a weird buyout. Maybe Cook is getting Dre to finally do Detox.

 

[terrisus]

Did Apple kill your parents or something, jesus.

Nah, the Apple //e was an awesome computer.

 

[elektrixx]

I love Beats. My new Beats Studio Wireless are fantastic.

 

[Ryaaan14]

The higher end Beats are pretty good. Still a bit overpriced imo.

Apple could use the help in the headphones dept though for sure.

 

[javac]

There's a Harman Kardon version of the HTC M8 with no Beats in sight as far as I'm aware. Maybe this had something to do with that?

 

[ReturnOfTheRAT]

Let them buy it. I don't pay the Apple tax. And have no reason to spend money on Beats when better sounding equipment is available in the same price range or even lower.

 

[LeleSocho]

*why intensifies*

 

[TheAbsolution]

Nah, the Apple //e was an awesome computer.

The Mac Pro is a pretty good value too.