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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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jimmyiovine.png
Just a couple hours after the Financial Times reported that Apple was in talks to acquire Beats Electronics, the New York Post is reporting that Beats CEO Jimmy Iovine is in talks to join Apple as a "special adviser" to Tim Cook on creative matters.
Beats Electronics boss and veteran music industry executive Jimmy Iovine is in talks to join Apple as a "special adviser" to Tim Cook on creative matters, two sources close to talks tell The Post.
Iovine is also the chairman of Universal Music Group's Interscope Geffen A&M music labels, though his contract is set to expire at the end of 2014. However, it's not clear if this is part of the potential purchase of Beats Electronics or separate from that deal.

Iovine has strong contacts in the music industry, allowing Apple to potentially leverage him for potential future negotiations with music labels. This would make him a strong addition even if Apple doesn't purchase Beats.

If Iovine does join Apple, Iovine would be the second high profile executive to join the company after former Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts. The Beats CEO also has a history with Apple, having pitched Steve Jobs on a subscription music service and meeting with Apple executives about Beats Music before it launched.

Article Link: Beats CEO Jimmy Iovine in Talks to Join Apple as 'Special Adviser'
 

Santabean2000

macrumors 68000
Nov 20, 2007
1,883
2,044
Apple is not full of stupid people. There must be a good reason for this whole deal to be going through. Without knowing all the facts we can just but guess...
 

nazaar

macrumors 6502a
Oct 28, 2008
577
298
If these Beats stories are true I'm predicting Apple's downfall.
 

unobtainium

macrumors 68030
Mar 27, 2011
2,596
3,859
Apple is not full of stupid people. There must be a good reason for this whole deal to be going through. Without knowing all the facts we can just but guess...

It's pretty obvious. Beats must have negotiated a stellar subscription music deal with the record labels (possibly thanks to this dude's contacts in the industry). Apple wants to quickly jump on that ship, so they're snapping up the deals Beats has already signed.
 

halfasemitone

macrumors newbie
Jun 8, 2005
7
0
It's pretty obvious. Beats must have negotiated a stellar subscription music deal with the record labels (possibly thanks to this dude's contacts in the industry). Apple wants to quickly jump on that ship, so they're snapping up the deals Beats has already signed.

I think you're right and I really really really really really hope it's not for the headphone "technology".
 

racer1441

macrumors 68000
Jul 3, 2009
1,864
636
I don't understand this whole thing. I thought Beats was just a crappy headphone company pushed by some rap guy.
 

applefan69

macrumors 6502a
Oct 9, 2007
663
148
I think you're right and I really really really really really hope it's not for the headphone "technology".

With all due respect that is an asinine concern. Even if they were planning to acquire some headphone patents there is no reason that should equal worse headphone then what they already make. Obviously this is assuming Apple continues to make wise decisions that result in net benefit for the user.

My point is that in general:
Current Technology + New Technology /= Worse Product
 

cdmoore74

macrumors 68020
Jun 24, 2010
2,413
711
Things are getting interesting!

Not in a good way. Why not take that 3 billion and make your own high end headphones. Do something innovative not yet seen like when the iPad came out. 3 freaking billion is a ton of cash. Hell, I bet it weighs that much in $100 bills.
 

DTphonehome

macrumors 68000
Apr 4, 2003
1,914
3,377
NYC
Hope his first piece of advice is "don't buy Beats." But somehow I doubt it.

----------

Ugh.... what's next, Apple? Gonna hire Dr. Dre too? Ughhhh :(

Haven't you heard? They're hiring a bunch of medical-types for the iWatch. Dr. Dre would be perfect :)
 

japanime

macrumors 68030
Feb 27, 2006
2,916
4,844
Japan
I'm not a fan of Beats headphones (way too much artificial bass for my taste), but I think Jimmy Iovine is a marketing genius and would be a fantastic addition to Apple's lineup of advisers.
 

bighype

macrumors regular
May 1, 2014
136
466
Tim Cook is slowly killing Apple. What Ballmer did to Microsoft, that's exactly what Cook's gonna do to Apple in 5 years. Just watch. The man has no vision and is easily swayed by these BS artists.
 

AppleScruff1

macrumors G4
Feb 10, 2011
10,026
2,949
Dr. Dre pocketed about $100 million on the HTC deal, I can only imagine what he'll get out of this one.
 

unobtainium

macrumors 68030
Mar 27, 2011
2,596
3,859
What in the world is itunes radio or what ever Apple calls it? A failure already?

It's not a subscription-based on-demand streaming service like Spotify. You can't create playlists or add to your collection or queue up specific songs with iRadio.
 
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