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New Beats Pill Speaker Spotted in Another Database as Launch Nears

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Apr 12, 2001
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Another regulatory agency has approved Apple's new version of the Beats Pill speaker ahead of its official announcement (via 91mobiles).

New-Beats-Pill-iOS-17.5-Feature.jpg

Following its recent appearance in the United States FCC database, the upcoming Beats Pill speaker has now been spotted on Taiwan's National Communications Commission (NCC) website. The device, carrying the model number A3211, matches the specifications seen in the FCC listing. Certification listings such as these are necessary steps before a product can be brought to market, and their appearance typically signals a launch within weeks.

Images included in the NCC listing provide additional views of the new Beats Pill's design, which retains the familiar pill-shaped aesthetic of its predecessors. The front of the device is entirely covered by the speaker grille with prominent "Beats" branding. There are four physical buttons on the top and a USB-C port is located on the rear. The new model also includes a lanyard hole on the side. The device is expected to be available in three colors: Black, Gold, and Red.

Basketball star LeBron James and Formula 1 driver Daniel Ricciardo were among the first to be spotted with the new Beats Pill over the past month. These sightings were followed by the speaker's appearance in the iOS 17.5 Release Candidate. While Apple has not officially announced the new Beats Pill, the multiple certifications and celebrity sightings indicate that its launch is almost certainly very soon.

Article Link: New Beats Pill Speaker Spotted in Another Database as Launch Nears
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2024/05/24/new-beats-pill-speaker-spotted-database/
U

Unregistered 4U

macrumors G4
Jul 22, 2002
10,257
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Well, let’s just see what German has to say about the Beats Pill. I’m sure he’s got sources saying something as it’s been talked about for awhile.

Nothing?
 
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Tyler O'Bannon

Tyler O'Bannon

macrumors 6502a
Nov 23, 2019
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One thing to note - It has the 4 buttons on top (I'm assuming volume up, volume down, power button, and the "b" Beats button again?), HOWEVER, it only has a USB-C port on the back - this makes me wonder if they are simply going for 1 port to charge it, and the same port to charge a device. If so, this omits the other 2 ports that the previous had that I used a LOT - the dedicated USB port to charge your device while the lightning port allowed the Pill to stay charged, and the 3.5mm headphone jack. I had these permanently plugged in a lot, with a permanent iPad being powered by it, and the 3.5m coming from iPad to Pill to play white noise all night in 2 different rooms.

I understand the removal of the 3.5mm more, simply because the devices don't have it anymore either, BUT, it would be great if they had 2 USB-C ports so pill could be on power and device could be powered from it while it's in use, especially for all night white noise scenarios like we used these for.

I have a feeling it's going to be exactly this: 1 USB-C port for charging the Pill, and it can be used to charge a device as well. If it's not that, then it's only going to be to charge it, with no option to charge devices.

Maybe the price will be a bit less than the previous if this is case...

We shall see but this is my favorite blue tooth speaker.

HomePods are amazing at home, Beats Pill+ was fantastic for taking anywhere, even around the house but that was before HomePods.
 
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D

Daul

macrumors newbie
May 10, 2024
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Why is Apple still keeping the Beats brand alive? They got the IP they wanted from it. Either kill it or sell it already.
I’ve purchased 4 different Beats products over the last decade and all 4 got promptly returned for something else. Poor sound quality, uncomfortable, won’t stay in ears, chintzy build, etc.
 
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U

Unregistered 4U

macrumors G4
Jul 22, 2002
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Daul said:
Why is Apple still keeping the Beats brand alive? They got the IP they wanted from it. Either kill it or sell it already.
I’ve purchased 4 different Beats products over the last decade and all 4 got promptly returned for something else. Poor sound quality, uncomfortable, won’t stay in ears, chintzy build, etc.
Click to expand...
It’s still one of the most valuable brands in consumer audio. They keep it alive because it pulls in buckets of money.
 
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JPack

JPack

macrumors G5
Mar 27, 2017
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Daul said:
Why is Apple still keeping the Beats brand alive? They got the IP they wanted from it. Either kill it or sell it already.
I’ve purchased 4 different Beats products over the last decade and all 4 got promptly returned for something else. Poor sound quality, uncomfortable, won’t stay in ears, chintzy build, etc.
Click to expand...

The "IP" is the brand recognition and sound signature. Apple can't just merge that with AirPods. Beats targets an entirely different demographic with different tastes for style and tuning.
 
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zapmymac

zapmymac

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Aug 24, 2016
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SoCal ☀️
There is something to be said about a portable speaker product, it makes events just a little bit more fun. People mock the older folk, but we enjoyed the cd/minidisc/tape mini-boom boxes 🥳

I see people just huddling around the speakerphone of a phone, it's just not a decent listening experience.


Around 2012 I bought this little thing. It has a line-in, usb-a to charge your *whatever*, AirPlay1, BT4.0, and lastly 2.4ghz WiFi. Socket or rechargeable battery operated.

The bass & treble knobs are old school 50's analog bits that feel nice and adjust smoothly.

I used it many times, then it sat and I forgot to condition the battery, now it only works plugged in 🙃.

With the rise of shared playlists, I think portables will be around for decades to come, there is no replacement for displacement! 🔈🔉🔊
 

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ApplesAreSweet&Sour

ApplesAreSweet&Sour

macrumors 68010
Sep 18, 2018
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Lioness~ said:
Apple are trying to cure something with taking some pill's - what is the issue? 😂
Click to expand...
The whole pill metaphor is a relic from Beats' glory days, when Dr. Dre still owned the company and was prescribing people "sick ass beats" like there was an epidemic of terrible audio products destroying our hearing, and reminding the youths that "#yolo".

But being that Dr. Dre is barely relevant in pop music anymore, and the mono-culture that gave us music super stars is completely dead, I really feel it's high time Apple retired these 2010s designs and ditch all the no longer relevant Hype Williams music video aesthetics.

Beats needs a complete overhaul.
 
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ApplesAreSweet&Sour

ApplesAreSweet&Sour

macrumors 68010
Sep 18, 2018
2,003
3,681
Daul said:
Why is Apple still keeping the Beats brand alive? They got the IP they wanted from it. Either kill it or sell it already.
I’ve purchased 4 different Beats products over the last decade and all 4 got promptly returned for something else. Poor sound quality, uncomfortable, won’t stay in ears, chintzy build, etc.
Click to expand...
Beats allows Apple to sell "AirPods" to consumer demographics that either can't or won't spend the higher-end prices that AirPods are sold at, all while maintaining the premium and Apple-exclusive status of the AirPods brand.

Beats is basically "AirPods SE" -Budget-friendly, lower-quality and partly outdated hardware, repackaged to appear exciting and luxurious, paired with decent smartphone OS integration and a sparse selection of features that are usually only found in actual AirPods.

Scrutinizing the actual hardware, Beats are typically very low value/$ for the consumer, yes. But they still sells in big numbers because of low end-consumer prices, generating high profit margins for Apple.

Killing off products that sell as well as Beats do would be a mistake unless you hate profits.
 
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