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Apple's Acquisition of Beats Electronics to End Several Third-Party Partnerships

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MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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beats1-250x311.png
Apple's acquisition of Beats Electronics will include the severing of several deals and partnerships that the headphone and music company has with other designers and vendors, including HP.

According to Hewlett-Packard (via CNET), which sells laptops with "Beats Audio" branded speakers, the company will cease to develop products with new Beats Audio technologies at the end of 2014. Under the terms of its deal with Beats, HP will continue to sell devices though 2015, however, with the licensing agreement terminating after that period.
A company spokesman said in an email that HP is allowed to continue developing products with new Beats Audio technologies through 2014. But it's allowed to continue selling devices with the Beats Audio logo and technology through 2015. HP says it's planning an aggressive lineup of new products that includes the Beats branding through 2014.
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Beats will also be ending an ongoing partnership with design firm Ammunition (via TechCrunch), which has created the company's lineup of headphones and speakers, including the Beats Studio, Beats Pro, and Beats Pill. The transition away from Ammunition will happen over the next few months as Apple takes over designing new Beats hardware, under the leadership of Apple marketing head Phil Schiller.

Apple first announced its $3 billion Beats purchase earlier this afternoon, with Tim Cook suggesting Beats was the first music subscription to "get it right," as both Apple and Beats believe that a "great music service requires a strong editorial and curation team."

Beats' co-founders Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre will both take on roles with Apple, with the entire Beats team serving under iTunes chief Eddy Cue.

Article Link: Apple's Acquisition of Beats Electronics to End Several Third-Party Partnerships
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2014/05/28/apple-beats-deal-ending-partnerships/
Sky Blue

Sky Blue

Guest
Jan 8, 2005
6,856
11
Apple designing the product is great news, the Pill in particular is an ugly thing.
 
MisakixMikasa

MisakixMikasa

macrumors 6502a
Aug 21, 2013
776
2
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
MacRumors said:
[url=http://cdn.macrumors.com/im/macrumorsthreadlogodarkd.png]Image[/url]


Apple's acquisition of Beats Electronics will include the severing of several deals and partnerships that the headphone and music company has with other designers and vendors, including HP.

According to Hewlett-Packard (via CNET), which sells laptops with "Beats Audio" branded speakers, the company will cease to develop products with new Beats Audio technologies at the end of 2014. Under the terms of its deal with Beats, HP will continue to sell devices though 2015, however, with the licensing agreement terminating after that period.Beats will also be ending an ongoing partnership with design firm Ammunition (via TechCrunch), which has created the company's lineup of headphones and speakers, including the Beats Studio, Beats Pro, and Beats Pill. The transition away from Ammunition will happen over the next few months as Apple takes over designing new Beats hardware, under the leadership of Apple marketing head Phil Schiller.

Apple first announced its $3 billion Beats purchase earlier this afternoon, with Tim Cook suggesting Beats was the first music subscription to "get it right," as both Apple and Beats believe that a "great music service requires a strong editorial and curation team."

Beats' co-founders Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre will both take on roles with Apple, with the entire Beats team serving under iTunes chief Eddy Cue.

Article Link: Apple's Acquisition of Beats Electronics to End Several Third-Party Partnerships
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Seriously, anything is better than Beats. My Lenovo laptop with JBL speaker is way better than Beats craps...Currently using JBL Bluetooth speaker connecting with my iPod Touch, $129 thing is way better than $199 Beats pills....
 
L

Lancetx

macrumors 68000
Aug 11, 2003
1,991
619
This is great news indeed that the hardware design will soon be done by Apple. I'll definitely hold off until we see the actual Beats products designed by Apple later on down the line then for sure.
 
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DTphonehome

macrumors 68000
Apr 4, 2003
1,914
3,377
NYC
MisakixMikasa said:
Seriously, anything is better than Beats. My Lenovo laptop with JBL speaker is way better than Beats craps...Currently using JBL Bluetooth speaker connecting with my iPod Touch, $129 thing is way better than $199 Beats pills....
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I've read good things about Beats audio in laptops, although I haven't heard them myself. I wonder if Apple will incorporate their audio tech into future Mac laptops. Macs sound pretty good, but any improvement is welcome.
 
Tony78228

Tony78228

macrumors regular
Oct 21, 2013
106
0
Texas
DTphonehome said:
I've read good things about Beats audio in laptops, although I haven't heard them myself. I wonder if Apple will incorporate their audio tech into future Mac laptops. Macs sound pretty good, but any improvement is welcome.
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yes. the HP laptops with beats sound very good. and very loud through headphones. I own an HP Envy laptop. as for the "beats" headphones, ugh..they sound horrible to me
 
3N16MA

3N16MA

macrumors 65816
Jul 23, 2009
1,011
177
Space
I hope Apple does more than simply update the exterior design. Audio quality improvements would be welcomed.
 
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lk400

macrumors 65816
Aug 26, 2012
1,050
630
Have all of the people comlaining so casually about how "beats" sound listened to the newer models (post monster)? I am certainly no audiophile, but I do own several of the headphones that audiophiles rave about. From listening in store, I find that the newest released beats (I think called studio) are as good as, and share manay characteristics with, some of the very headphones people throw out as being superior in every way. They are colored, to be sure, and you do pay something for brand and design - but they are certainly not bad. They are also built well, and some models are understated in design.

I think that Beats already undertook an exercise of improving its sound, build and design.

I wonder how many will forget the current line-up and simply compare those released under Apple ownership to some of the more embarassing of the old monster beats line up - and conclude that Apple worked a miracle.
 
MisakixMikasa

MisakixMikasa

macrumors 6502a
Aug 21, 2013
776
2
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
captain kaos said:
Also a kick in the teeth for HTC, as the One used Beats audio.
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The new HTC M8 does not use Beats... The older M7 uses Beats...but that doesn't really help HTC boost their sale much. Also the new Sprint M8 uses Harman Kardon headphone...

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DTphonehome said:
I've read good things about Beats audio in laptops, although I haven't heard them myself. I wonder if Apple will incorporate their audio tech into future Mac laptops. Macs sound pretty good, but any improvement is welcome.
Click to expand...

It was pretty funny... I brought one of fake Beats headphone from eBay.. Brought to work, nobody actually know it was a fake one. I also heard that people saying fake Beats are just as good as real one in terms of sound quality. I never used laptop with beats...but I know that my Lenovo laptop with JBL rocks. Since that, I brought few JBL Bluetooth speaker, JBL never disappointment me.
 
Ajones330

Ajones330

macrumors 6502a
Jul 9, 2008
563
16
SEC Country
lk400 said:
Have all of the people comlaining so casually about how "beats" sound listened to the newer models (post monster)? I am certainly no audiophile, but I do own several of the headphones that audiophiles rave about. From listening in store, I find that the newest released beats (I think called studio) are as good as, and share manay characteristics with, some of the very headphones people throw out as being superior in every way. They are colored, to be sure, and you do pay something for brand and design - but they are certainly not bad. They are also built well, and some models are understated in design.

I think that Beats already undertook an exercise of improving its sound, build and design.

I wonder how many will forget the current line-up and simply compare those released under Apple ownership to some of the more embarassing of the old monster beats line up - and conclude that Apple worked a miracle.
Click to expand...

Exactly, people claim that they are terrible headphones but for the type of music I listen to my Mixr versions of Beats sound amazing. It was between some JBL headphones but the Beats looked better and sound better...
 
T

thaifood

macrumors 6502
Jun 8, 2011
310
96
MisakixMikasa said:
The new HTC M8 does not use Beats... The older M7 uses Beats...but that doesn't really help HTC boost their sale much. Also the new Sprint M8 uses Harman Kardon headphone...

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It was pretty funny... I brought one of fake Beats headphone from eBay.. Brought to work, nobody actually know it was a fake one. I also heard that people saying fake Beats are just as good as real one in terms of sound quality. I never used laptop with beats...but I know that my Lenovo laptop with JBL rocks. Since that, I brought few JBL Bluetooth speaker, JBL never disappointment me.
Click to expand...

So you've never used Beats at all then.
 
LordQ

LordQ

Suspended
Sep 22, 2012
3,582
5,653
These news remind of a post of Apple developing their own speakers or something like that. That's be nice.
 
D

DolsJ

macrumors member
Aug 27, 2008
56
61
CarlosQG said:
These news remind of a post of Apple developing their own speakers or something like that. That's be nice.
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Apple entered the speaker business in 06-07 with the iPod Hi-Fi system. It was a pricey and a pretty big flop. I don't know anyone that bought one and Apple never followed it up with a new version or any improvements.
 
B

Brenster

macrumors 6502a
Jul 7, 2008
793
786
Having heard the Beats audio on a Touchpad a couple of years back, feel free to either not include it on iDevices or at least give us the option to bypass it.

Turning on whatever DSP/equalisation Beats provided turned Lee Alexander's bass to sonic mush on the first couple of Norah Jones' albums. Any acoustic music (Jazz, Classical etc) is NOT improved by whatever tuning this Beats stuff provides.
 
MisakixMikasa

MisakixMikasa

macrumors 6502a
Aug 21, 2013
776
2
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
thaifood said:
So you've never used Beats at all then.
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No... I never physically go out buy one... They are not really worth of the money... One of my friends has collection of beats headphones, I tried few and compared with my Audio Technica, ATH-M50, Senheiser HD 558, AKG K480NC, JBL Flip Bluetooth speaker, JBL Micro. They just not that good. They get really loud bass, I give you that...but everything else jus hemmmmm.... When you compare them side by side, you will notice significant differences... Everything just blow out Beats...


Beats are just not wroth the price. If they price their headphone at least 50% cheaper, I would say Beats are good buy. For example, JBL flip at 100 dollars absolutely trash Beats Pill....
 
macduke

macduke

macrumors G5
Jun 27, 2007
13,138
19,666
What I want to know is this: Will Apple continue to sell other 3rd party headphones and audio accessories now that they own Beats? You don't see them selling other laptops, tablets, phones, wireless routers, etc. Though they do sell other keyboards and mice.
 
FoundAHalo

FoundAHalo

macrumors member
Jul 3, 2009
75
7
Raleigh, NC
DolsJ said:
Apple entered the speaker business in 06-07 with the iPod Hi-Fi system. It was a pricey and a pretty big flop. I don't know anyone that bought one and Apple never followed it up with a new version or any improvements.
Click to expand...

I had an iPod Hi-Fi at work back then, and have to say, it was hands down the best portable speaker system around then. But the price was a few miles past the steep side, and it just never caught on (shock). But sure sounded good!
 
lilhobbes

lilhobbes

macrumors newbie
Mar 9, 2014
16
3
Utah
In actually glad Apple bought Beats. I'm excited for the new, sleek designs Jony I've gets to incorporate for these new products!
 
A

Abacus2039

macrumors newbie
Jan 23, 2012
20
0
Try a pair of Beats, then try AKG, Sennheiser, or Yamaha in the same price range. A whole new world awaits you.

I've gotta say, however, that I have a pair of Apple pods stuck in my lugs as I write this. They punch way above their weight.
 
Nevaborn

Nevaborn

macrumors 65816
Aug 30, 2013
1,086
327
Saw this coming day one. One of the major draws of Beats for Apple had to of been their audio in laptops which was the companies first big play and the one area they actually stood out as being good.

Expect to see this on late 2014-early 2015 Mac pro.

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macduke said:
What I want to know is this: Will Apple continue to sell other 3rd party headphones and audio accessories now that they own Beats? You don't see them selling other laptops, tablets, phones, wireless routers, etc. Though they do sell other keyboards and mice.
Click to expand...

Keyboards may not be a whole lot longer either as Apple has a few patents up their sleeve. Though cost of production could make them feel easier to just take a cut of someone elses work as with current 4k displays etc. Though should we see an iPad Pro then don't be surprised to see a keyboard cover thinner and more flexible than Microsofts with better key response, a particular issue on Microsoft ones.
 
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