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Apple in Talks to Acquire Beats Electronics for $3.2 Billion [Updated]
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This. Perhaps the Board of Directors of Apple could take a clue and sack the bean counter - or at least put him back to counting beans. That guy has zero vision.
Bose isn't audiophile tech but they do make some good equipment. Overpriced? Sure but in comparison, Beats doesn't do anything well other than marketing. I never understood the hate for Bose. I don't think you can say Bose sound terrible. You just don't get what you pay for but once in a while they will have a good product.
Not really. There are far, far better headphones for similar prices than Beats but if you look at Apple, they make one of the best (if not the best) laptops, phones and OS.
Makes Sense
Apple will now have 3 different models for distributing music:
Buy through iTunes
free in iRadio
Subscription through Beats streaming service
I can't think of another way to distribute music over the net. So now Apple is your one-stop shop for music however you want to buy it(short of vinyl or CD). And it will all be built into the Apple eco system and easily paid for or subscribed with your iTunes account. And let Mr Ive get ahold of those head phones and there is some potential for some really nice products there also.
Apple will now have 3 different models for distributing music:
Buy through iTunes
free in iRadio
Subscription through Beats streaming service
I can't think of another way to distribute music over the net. So now Apple is your one-stop shop for music however you want to buy it(short of vinyl or CD). And it will all be built into the Apple eco system and easily paid for or subscribed with your iTunes account. And let Mr Ive get ahold of those head phones and there is some potential for some really nice products there also.
But there are other companies with much better headphones.
Fannie Wang makes a better headphone.
Bose makes a better headphone
Bang & Olufsen makes a better headphone
The only place where Beats makes a good sounding headphone is the Executive series.
The IP on headphones isn't worth 3.2 billion.
Sorry, it just isn't.
It's speaker technology is a tiny package and for active noise cancellation it's DSP. You can get what Beats has in IP for a lot less.
It would be a mistake for Apple to buy them.
HTC just unwound themselves from Beats last year.
http://www.mobileburn.com/22056/news/htc-and-beats-audio-finalize-their-divorce
http://pocketnow.com/2013/09/27/htc-and-beats-divorce
Beats had a valuation of $1.2 Billion in Sept. 2013 when they bought the 25% of themselves back from HTC for $265 million.
No way is Beats worth 3 times that in eight months.
Stupid, stupid, stupid.........
The fact that you mentioned bose shows how little you actually know. Bose and Beats are both terrible and overrated.
wow some of you hate everything.Beats headphones>>>Apple EarPods.Plus they have a spotify like service.No need to run around like the sky is falling.
This post is unworthy of a response... It's actually quite insulting. Comparing Beats to Bose... wow! And I'm not saying Bose are incredible, but com'on... Beats are horrible.
This is just bad.
Facebook acquired Oculus - the leading tech company for VR - for $2 billion. Google acquired Nest - another leading tech company for smart home devices and incredible former Apple talent - for $3.2 billion. Apple on the other hand wants to spend $3.2 billion for a headphones company? Sure Beats Audio has a lot of brand value amongst consumers, but nothing worth $3.2 billion!
As far as I know, Beats doesn't have the highest technology when it comes to audio, as their audio chips mostly rely on software. Their value comes to marketing and the brand itself. And the Beats streaming service? Please.
Either this is a terribly stupid move by Apple and the board should rethink Tim Cook as CEO, or Apple knows something about Beats that we don't know that's worth $3 billion. Hoping it's the latter.
Facebook acquired Oculus - the leading tech company for VR - for $2 billion. Google acquired Nest - another leading tech company for smart home devices and incredible former Apple talent - for $3.2 billion. Apple on the other hand wants to spend $3.2 billion for a headphones company? Sure Beats Audio has a lot of brand value amongst consumers, but nothing worth $3.2 billion!
As far as I know, Beats doesn't have the highest technology when it comes to audio, as their audio chips mostly rely on software. Their value comes to marketing and the brand itself. And the Beats streaming service? Please.
Either this is a terribly stupid move by Apple and the board should rethink Tim Cook as CEO, or Apple knows something about Beats that we don't know that's worth $3 billion. Hoping it's the latter.
Everything BEATS ever created or has in the pipeline. Patents, licenses, music contracts, brands, etc...
When companies buy other companies, its rarely because they make money, but because of their intellectual property which ultimately gets absorbed.
Perfect case is Google + Motorola, and Yahoo buying everything in sight. Google bought Moto for $9 billion something, then sold them for a mere $3.1, while retaining ownership of the vast majority of Motorola's patents that will strengthen their Android OS and other products.
People dont realize that there are so many patents out there, companies cant put a product out because its nearly impossible. They have to license patents which gets very expensive = aka the profits are small. So companies absorb other companies for their portfolios/patents.
No highs, no lows, must be Bose. Or, Buy Other Sound Equiment. Pick one.
Personally, I've never used Beats but I agree they are tacky. Maybe Apple is trying to get a bigger foothold in the audio market. Maybe portable speakers? Idk.