New Beats Pill Speaker Listed on Apple's Regulatory Website as Launch Approaches

[MacRumors]

After appearing alongside athletes and celebrities, in iOS 17.5 code, and in the FCC database over the past month or so, a next-generation Beats Pill speaker has now been listed on Apple's regulatory compliance website for Europe.

The new Beats Pill speaker​

The original Beats Pill was a wireless Bluetooth speaker introduced in 2012, prior to Apple's acquisition of Beats. The speaker received a few updates in its first several years on the market, with the final revision being a redesigned Beats Pill+ with a Lightning charging port, introduced under Apple's ownership in 2015. Apple discontinued the Beats Pill+ in early 2022, but a new version now appears to be on the horizon.

The new Beats Pill speaker​

The new Beats Pill is likely to feature a USB-C charging port, upgraded Bluetooth, and more. Leaked images revealed a built-in lanyard, which was not available on previous models, along with red, black, and gold color options.

Beats is releasing new Solo Buds earbuds in June, so perhaps the new Beats Pill will launch next month too, but Apple has yet to formally announce the speaker. The previous Beats Pill+ was originally priced at $229.95 in the U.S. when it launched in 2015, but it had been available for $179.95 prior to being discontinued.

The listing on Apple's regulatory website was spotted by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris.

Article Link: New Beats Pill Speaker Listed on Apple's Regulatory Website as Launch Approaches

 

[AlexStudios]

Just launch the dang thing Apple- We get it-

 

[jb310]

Feels like this thing has been teased/leaked to death at this point... people must really love this wireless speaker. 😩

(or at least Apple thinks people should!)

 

[steve09090]

These might even stay in my ears, unlike the AirPods. I hope they work as a stereo pair.

 

[DMG35]

I’m not sure who these are for. Who is buying these?

 

[PowerMac5500]

Deleted

 

[nebraskatate]

Loved my original Beats Phil +.. Will look forward to taking my friends new one in a year or 2. Good news, it's almost Friday lol

 

[PowerMac5500]

Deleted

 

[cateye]

I’m not sure who these are for. Who is buying these?

People who like dramatically over-paying for bluetooth speaker.

 

[NMBob]

I’m not sure who these are for. Who is buying these?

People who can't handle silence and think you want to listen to their music at places like the beach or in the forest. They are very effective for that purpose.

 

[Victor Mortimer]

What, they're actually going to call it a pill and not a "dynamic island" speaker?

 

[Surf Monkey]

I’m not sure who these are for. Who is buying these?

That’s my thought as well. There are lots of portable Bluetooth speakers around in every conceivable shape and size. Apple’s speakers aren’t known for the quality of their sound output so what’s the differentiator? Why choose this over something like the various JBL speakers that are by far the most popular? B&O, Klipsch, Anker, Bose, Ultimate Ears and even Teenage Engineering make far more interesting portable speakers. Why the attempt to create artificial buzz around this?

 

[mk313]

That’s my thought as well. There are lots of portable Bluetooth speakers around in every conceivable shape and size. Apple’s speakers aren’t known for the quality of their sound output so what’s the differentiator? Why choose this over something like the various JBL speakers that are by far the most popular? B&O, Klipsch, Anker, Bose, Ultimate Ears and even Teenage Engineering make far more interesting portable speakers. Why the attempt to create artificial buzz around this?

The advantage of the apple engineered Speaker would/ could/ hopefully will be that is includes something like the way that AirPods connect to multiple apple devices seamlessly. Or even better would be how Beats Buds connect almost seamlessly but require you to select the new device. I have an older Bluetooth speaker that I’ve been wanting to upgrade, but the lack of easily switching between devices has caused me to wait.

 

[cateye]

Why the attempt to create artificial buzz around this?

I mean, Apple be Apple with regard to creating weird brand-buzz for non-essential products ("omg what's that speaker Mr. Labron is carrying?!"). But the fever-pitch coverage not just here, but, like... everywhere. It's all over the Apple blogsphere. Every time this silly little overpriced audio bauble shows up somewhere, we get wall-to-wall coverage. Why? I don't get why this merits such editorial effort.

 

[Oblivious.Robot]

Much ado about nothing.

 

[cicalinarrot]

People who like dramatically over-paying for bluetooth speaker.

I am a nerd like many others in here but I understand why people like fashion items.
Beats spends a lot of on marketing and it's not wasted money if buyers feel better when seen around with that stuff.

 

[Surf Monkey]

The advantage of the apple engineered Speaker would/ could/ hopefully will be that is includes something like the way that AirPods connect to multiple apple devices seamlessly. Or even better would be how Beats Buds connect almost seamlessly but require you to select the new device. I have an older Bluetooth speaker that I’ve been wanting to upgrade, but the lack of easily switching between devices has caused me to wait.

That seems like a slim advantage.

 

[Surf Monkey]

I am a nerd like many others in here but I understand why people like fashion items.
Beats spends a lot of on marketing and it's not wasted money if buyers feel better when seen around with that stuff.

That’s why it’s frustrating. They market it as a fashion accessory. They could spend a little effort and make it actually sound better than the competition and be a fashion accessory but instead they cut costs on the transducers and tuning, “fix” the shortcomings in software and hype it as a cool accessory that comes in a lot of colors.

Dislike.

 

[cateye]

Beats spends a lot of on marketing and it's not wasted money if buyers feel better when seen around with that stuff.

Actually, that is exactly wasted money.

But, of course... People can do what they want.

 

[Surf Monkey]

Actually, that is exactly wasted money.

Not if social status is valuable to you. I don’t think this product carries a lot of status value but who knows? I’m clearly not the target market.

But, of course... People can do what they want.

And they absolutely will.

 

[mk313]

That seems like a slim advantage.

I guess that depends on your use case.

 

[Surf Monkey]

I guess that depends on your use case.

Maybe. Pairing and unpairing Bluetooth devices that aren’t made by Apple really isn’t that difficult or time consuming.

 

[craigmak]

Any word on AirPlay? I like to hook up a projector in the summer/fall outside and would prefer this with its water resistance and not being tethered to a charger compared to my homepod.

 

[mk313]

Maybe. Pairing and unpairing Bluetooth devices that aren’t made by Apple really isn’t that difficult or time consuming.

Plugging in a cable also isn't too hard, but some segment of people prefer a simpler approach. People seem to like the way that AirPods auto-connect to their phones. I can see a similar interest in a speaker working the same way. Sounds like it's not something you'd be interested in, but not everything is for everybody.

 

[Surf Monkey]

Plugging in a cable also isn't too hard, but some segment of people prefer a simpler approach. People seem to like the way that AirPods auto-connect to their phones. I can see a similar interest in a speaker working the same way. Sounds like it's not something you'd be interested in, but not everything is for everybody.

I own dozens of sets of IEMs and a bunch of full sized over-ear cans. Some are active and wireless, some are passive and wired. So at least in my case it isn’t a matter of being blind to anything but my own unique use case.

In my opinion Apple over processes AirPods sound. If they sounded better I’d probably wear them more. But the software “features” don’t represent a significant enough advantage to overcome the vastly superior sound available on other wireless sets and especially on wired ones.

As to a boom box, there’s no active noise canceling on them. So Apple’s software integration would be limited to what? Battery level, continuity switching, Siri integration? Maybe adding “smart Siri” to it would make it worth considering. But the other features are not enough to make it compete with the many superior speakers on the market now.