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[tabs2002]

Damn, Dre about to get paid. Detox is never coming out

 

[Technosteve]

3.2bn for the streaming product? The fuck, the contracts worth that much?

 

[UltraGunner]

So does this lessen or strengthen the chance of hearing Detox within our lifetimes?

 

[Angry Puppy]

What a good fit. Both are known for ok quality, yet overpriced products that sell based on brand recognition.

 

[sant]

Sounds like a perfect match to me

 

[Junior Mint]

Apple is pretty late to the subscription music game. It'll probably take them quite a while to re-brand all the Beats streaming stuff, no?

 

[Kano on the Phone]

Now your ipod will come with shitty bass boost EQ settings and even shittier earbuds? Sounds great.

What a good fit. Both are known for ok quality, yet overpriced products that sell based on brand recognition.

About time someone finally had the balls to say this.

Apple is pretty late to the subscription music game. It'll probably take them quite a while to re-brand all the Beats streaming stuff, no?

Like what? I would imagine they'll incorporate it into iOS.

When I think of what Apple software people love most, "iTunes" is definitely not the first thing that comes to mind!

No one uses iTunes.

 

[BocoDragon]

Apple is pretty late to the subscription music game. It'll probably take them quite a while to re-brand all the Beats streaming stuff, no?

I imagine they'd keep the branding.

 

[slit]

I heard their next acquisition is Nintendo. :/

 

[Somnid]

When I think of what Apple software people love most, "iTunes" is definitely not the first thing that comes to mind!

Beats won't help kill iTunes bloat. The problem there is Apple simply just doesn't care.

 

[Zee-Row]

How much is Dr. Dre getting out of this?

 

[Gouty]

I heard their next acquisition is Nintendo. :/

God that would be amazing. Probably awful for what it would do to classic console Zelda and Mario but fuck it, I'd wind up getting more entertainment out of Gaf anyway.

 

[Gentleman Jack]

It'll probably take them quite a while to re-brand all the Beats streaming stuff, no?

They probably won't need to. Let existing Beats consumers keep using it however they want while they integrate it into iTunes then relaunch.

 

[Cheebo]

I heard their next acquisition is Nintendo. :/

Apple wouldn't waste their money on a money sinkhole like Nintendo.

 

[LQX]

Does Dr. Dre even own any part of Beats? Its not just a name thing?

 

[Cipherr]

Does Dr. Dre even own any part of Beats? Its not just a name thing?

Yeah he does. Him and Iovine.

 

[Insaniac]

so will this makes Beats even more overpriced?

 

[Detox]

So they are buying interscope

 

[Retrocide]

They have deals with artists for streaming, curating as well as timed exclusive releases on streaming... That's worth more than headphones

You would think with the clout that iTunes has they could get similar deals but I guess having a music insider with as much clout as Jimmy Iovine helps with negotiations.

 

[kitchenmotors]

Did Apple kill your parents or something, jesus.

Just a typical post. Ignore him.

And the Beats music service is legit. I love music and listen to a huge variety and I was impressed by the way it would suggest and select things based on library. Trent Reznor was involved in developing it, so I'm not surprised by the quality.

 

[Technosteve]

Kano on the phone is a sell out.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

Apple is pretty late to the subscription music game. It'll probably take them quite a while to re-brand all the Beats streaming stuff, no?

It's a pretty strong brand despite the hate it gets in the dark, neck bearded recesses of the internet. They'd be smart to keep it and integrate it into iOS, like they probably will with Nike's fitness stuff. For brand recognition, Beats Music and Nike Fit (or whatever they call them)>>>>Apple Music and Apple Fitness

 

[railGUN]

Something something overpriced something something hipster something something patent bullshit baaaa baaaa sheeple.

 

[Oppo]

So they are buying interscope

I understood this reference

 

[MercuryLS]

ITT: Apple haters that are salty that their favorite Android OEM is circling the drain to bankruptcy/irrelevancy.

 

[Empyrean Heaven]

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

The combination of arguably the two most fashionable and iconic brands in the electronics industry today?

 

[Sho_Nuff82]

Dre is about to get straight paid.

There's your new LA Clippers owner.

 

[overcast]

Yeah, this would put Dre above 1 billion I'm sure.

Weird acquisition to me. Beats are popular, but doesn't seem necessary.

 

[cyberheater]

I'm a mac fan but I don't understand this at all. Seems like a colossal waste of money.

 

[ReAxion]

apparently iTunes Radio had more users than Spotify as of two months ago, in the US.

http://www.macrumors.com/2014/03/11/itunes-radio-third-most-popular-us-music-service/

 

[Benutzer]

It's a pretty strong brand despite the hate it gets in the dark neck bearded recesses of the internet. They'd be smart to keep it and integrate it into iOS, like they provably will with Nike's fitness stuff. For brand recognition, Beats Music and Nike Fit (or whatever they call them)>>>>Apple Music and Apple Fitness

Yeah, Beats is a massive brand and their music streaming service is great. I like the idea of Apple buying them + Dr. Dre could buy the Clippers.

I heard their next acquisition is Nintendo. :/

lol GAF burns down if this happens. But I would like a Apple designed Nintendo DS with a iTunes Store instead of the eShop...

 

[Cipherr]

It's a pretty strong brand despite the hate it gets in the dark, neck bearded recesses of the internet.

That hate it gets mainly comes from audiophiles who have the nerve to know better. And those that criticize them don't say that Beats isn't popular, they say that the sound quality of their products is lackluster. And it is.

No one is running around denying that the 'brand' isn't popular. No clue where you got that from.

 

[Zutroy]

Makes sense. They get a ready made streaming service with an interface that's already pretty similar to Apples style, and they get the hardware profits from the headphones while they continue to sell.

$3.2 isn't really much for Apple, and it makes more sense that some of the acquisitions Facebook has made for around the same price.

 

[Mindwipe]

Why do people think Beats music licenses for their streaming services still apply if Beats is acquired by Apple? Do people think that the music labels are total morons? An "invalidated if acquired by a significant player" clause is quite common in these sorts of license agreements...

Anyway, I think it's an odd choice, but it's Apple's money, and it's not like they haven't got it.

But I will still entertain myself with the massive 180 Gruber will have to make of all of his slagging off of Beats tomorrow. That'll be, frankly, hilarious.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

Ugh. Why? Patents? The streaming service? Would they keep the brand? Beats is nothing but the brand from what I know of them. But keeping the brand would be uncharacteristic.

 

[JJDinomite]

Literally paying for an equalizer setting.

 

[Mr.Mike]

Would this mean that Dr Dre beat Beyonce to being the highest paid black entertainer ever!?

I don't think any entertainer is a billionaire. The famous ones are rich sure, but they still pale in comparison to business types.

And at this point Dr.Dre is probably more of a businessman than an entertainer. Certainly he's made a lot more money as a businessman.

Makes sense. They get a ready made streaming service with an interface that's already pretty similar to Apples style, and they get the hardware profits from the headphones while they continue to sell.

$3.2 isn't really much for Apple, and it makes more sense that some of the acquisitions Facebook has made for around the same price.

It makes more sense than acquisitions Facebook has made for 6 times the price.

 

[LCfiner]

Oh yeah, I totally forgot Beats has a streaming service (it’s not up here in Canada).

that would make sense for an acquisition for Apple.

 

[giga]

Carlyle executives have said Beats had revenue of about $1.2 billion last year.

The valuation isn't too farfetched.

 

[Kano on the Phone]

Why do people think Beats music licenses for their streaming services still apply if Beats is acquired by Apple? Do people think that the music labels are total morons? An "invalidated if acquired by a significant player" clause is quite common in these sorts of license agreements...

I bet Apple has a lawyer and a few extra bucks somewhere.

 

[Detox]

Makes sense. They get a ready made streaming service with an interface that's already pretty similar to Apples style, and they get the hardware profits from the headphones while they continue to sell.

$3.2 isn't really much for Apple, and it makes more sense that some of the acquisitions Facebook has made for around the same price.

They also get Jimmy Iovine and Dr Dre many artists have most their souls to them.

 

[pompidu]

I've tried those headphones, they're ok. Dre a marketing genius, get people to pay for subpar headphones at a ridiculous price.

 

[oatmeal]

Beats headphones are as iconic as the iPod whites were.

Buy them, put the apple logo on them, bam...you've got all the notable portable listening devices.

(I'm not saying anything about quality here).

 

[Mindwipe]

I bet Apple has a lawyer and a few extra bucks somewhere.

You mean that Apple can go and get it's own streaming rights if it pays enough money (which it would have to anyway in most countries, isn't Beats US only)? Sure.

I'm not sure why you'd pay out $3 billion to have to go and do the deal yourself anyway though.

 

[linsivvi]

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

Should have been first post.

Beats is garbage. Can't believe some people are suddenly going to defend them because Apple wants to buy them.

 

[Randdalf]

Be honest with me here, since I've never used them, are Beats headphones really that bad, or are people overexaggerating because they're popular?

 

[linsivvi]

Be honest with me here, since I've never used them, are Beats headphones really that bad, or are people overexaggerating because they're popular?

They sound great compared to bargain bin earphones.

They are terrible compared to headphones around the same price, and that opinion is pretty much universal.

 

[Haint]

I'm a self professed Apple hater, but at least they make objectively high quality hardware with a focus on performance (albeit ridiculously over priced). Beats makes objectively low quality hardware with a focus on poor performance (and still ridiculously over priced). Does this mark a fundamental change in Apple's core strategy? Do they have designs on throwing quality out the window and relying solely on branding and marketing?

 

[Glorified G]

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

Apple hardware is overpriced due to name brand but it's still quality hardware. Beats are legitimately low end headphones that are charged 3-4 times due to looks alone.

Apple wishes they could get away with that kind of margin.

 

[lupinko]

I don't get it, but okay. Probably gonna stock Apple Stores with them.

If you don't know Beats has a streaming audio service you might also not know about iTunes radio?

But having Google Video didn't stop Google from buying YouTube.