Report: Apple Is Getting Ready to Buy Beats for $3.2 Billion

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Report: Apple Is Getting Ready to Buy Beats for $3.2 Billion

Mario Aguilar 5/8/14

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According to the Financial Times, Apple is closing in on an acquisition of Beats, the headphone manufacturer turned streaming music service. The $3.2 billion deal would give Apple control over a powerful brand, but at the same time, it would be puzzling and uncharacteristic of Apple. The FT points out it would be Apple's biggest acquisition ever.

Apple's digital music juggernaut has been slowing down recently, and the company is rumoredto be weighing an on-demand streaming music service. In that sense, the deal would make sense. But the acquisition would also give Cupertino control over an empire built on plastic headphones, which conceptually, doesn't seem to meld with Apple's elegant glass and aluminum aesthetic.

The deal could reportedly close as early as next week. It wouldn't be the first time Apple bought up a music startup, but unlike other acquisitions in which Apple takes the talent and incorporates it into Apple products, Beats is a powerful force of its own right. Perhaps the deal has less to do with streaming music and hardware, and more to do with Topspin Media, the Beats-owned e-commerce and marketing platform. Of course, this is only a rumor. And a crazy one at that.

Report: Apple Is Getting Ready to Buy Beats for $3.2 Billion
 
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Malik

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Dre about to become rap's first billionaire :wow: Sad Hov/Sad Puff :to:

Dre and Jimmy Iovine own most of Beats. I think Dre's share is around 25%. Probably more since they bought back the shares HTC bought. Either way, DETOX AINT NEVER COMING OUT :pachaha:

Dr Dre, whose real name is Andre Young, tops Forbes' Cash Kings list this year -- making him one of the the richest rappers in the world. His total fortune is estimated at more than $250million.

Last year, Taiwanese electronics company HTC paid $300million for a 51 percent stake in Dr Dre's headphones operation.

Dr Dre, 47, himself pocketed $100million of that cash.

The business began in 2006 after an epiphany. Dr Dre was reportedly walking along the beach with Interscope Records Chairman Jimmy Iovine, contemplating whether he should launch his own line of shoes.

'(Forget) sneakers,' Mr Iovine reportedly said. 'Let’s sell speakers!'

Dr Dre has relied on endorsement by popular musicians to help sell his pricey earphones.

Justin Bieber, Lady GaGa, will.i.am. and P Diddy have all been tapped to endorse different head phone models.

The result of all that star power has been millions and millions of sales. With headphones priced between $150 and $400 -- Dr Dre's company has raked in impressive revenue numbers.

The sales figures seemed to have been so good that Dr Dre was confident enough to buy back half of HTC's stake.
Read more: Dr Dre built headphones empire that paid $110million last year | Mail Online
 
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