Looks beats I don't like the quality of the sound becasue they insane the base but the design is great. Maybe is patents Apple is going after and also they could probably some how use them in iWatch or Apple Watch.
That is not an accurate statement because Beats ? Beats by Dre. Did you try any other Beats headphones outside of the one with Dre's name attached?
The Beats Music app is incredibly lackluster and has done nothing to separate itself from the other streaming services that have come (and gone) in the past decade. I see this being a failure as well. Apple seemingly botched the LaLa acquisition so I don't see this being much different.
I have yet to see a music service "get it". Spotify is nice but the recommendation and notification features are incredibly lackluster, not to mention the UI. The EchoNest acquisition helps but I don't see it being used to its real potential. Lots of companies are leaving a lot of great functionality and features on the table. (last.fm, spotify, apple, beats, amg/rovi, rdio, etc.)
The Beats hardware division is mass marketed, general consumer, and low quality. I don't know why Apple needs that from either a hardware or brand perspective. Unless this is for music licensing.
Robert Brunner is the beats hardware designer. He was Jony Ive's boss before he left Apple and Ive replaced him. Does he come back to Apple and now work for Ive?
Not if it is the only way Apple can acquire those licenses. Note, I am speculating here because I cannot for the life of me see any other way Beats is worth that much. That being said, keep in mind the 3bn figure may be a leak from a Beats investor in an attempt to increase its perceived value.
The Beats Music app is incredibly lackluster and has done nothing to separate itself from the other streaming services that have come (and gone) in the past decade. I see this being a failure as well. Apple seemingly botched the LaLa acquisition so I don't see this being much different.
I have yet to see a music service "get it". Spotify is nice but the recommendation and notification features are incredibly lackluster, not to mention the UI. The EchoNest acquisition helps but I don't see it being used to its real potential. Lots of companies are leaving a lot of great functionality and features on the table. (last.fm, spotify, apple, beats, amg/rovi, rdio, etc.)
The Beats hardware division is mass marketed, general consumer, and low quality. I don't know why Apple needs that from either a hardware or brand perspective. Unless this is for music licensing.
Seems odd. But judging by number of people wearing them, Beats knows how to sell consumer electronics.
Spotify is the issue for Apple's music business. I've stopped using iTunes for music, period.
This! The iTunes ecosystem is one of Apple's greatest strengths. It is the most user friendly music ecosystem on the planet. Spotify greatly damages that because the appeal of free on demand music is far greater than that of a great user experience. Despite the fact that its software is dogcrap and the policies are draconian (wonder where all the anti-DRM freaks are these days?).
iTunes needs a Spotify like service and beats may be the only way to get there. If so, it is worth its weight in gold.
Seems to me.. Beats are a great match for Apple in lots of ways!
* Bringing their streaming service in to the fold + who knows what engineering talent & intellectual property they have (or products in the pipeline)
* Jimmy Iovine pitching music streaming to Steve Jobs 10 years ago and responsible for building one hell of a brand in arguably a pretty niche sector. Whether you like the products or not that's the sort of driven character who melds pretty nicely with Apple's culture
* They produce great campaigns (that show their aspirations as a company?) showcasing personality & creativity - this video screams Apple?
* Technology has entered/is entering the jewellery & fashion industries. A lot of Apple's hires & developments are related to these at the moment
* They have huge mindshare
* They're a brand that a subset of people love to hate (much like Apple) for some reason! :P
This! The iTunes ecosystem is one of Apple's greatest strengths. It is the most user friendly music ecosystem on the planet. Spotify greatly damages that because the appeal of free on demand music is far greater than that of a great user experience. Despite the fact that its software is dogcrap and the policies are draconian (wonder where all the anti-DRM freaks are these days?).
iTunes needs a Spotify like service and beats may be the only way to get there. If so, it is worth its weight in gold.
What am I not understanding if iTunes Radio is not a music streaming service like Spotify?
I am guessing the difference is you can't download from iTunes Radio ... I'm a bit puzzled too. I think Spotify and Beats Music allow a DRM shackled, limited time version to be downloaded. Crazy stuff if true!
Wait ... for kids with limited or no data plan they can load up music via wifi on their iPhone and then take to go.
I absolutely believe it's true-- though think the price might be a bit high. It makes perfect sense. Beats is a premium-priced brand of headphones. There's nothing that amuses me more than reading all these apple fan bois-- of which I am one-- denigrate Beats because they are "over-priced for what you get". Isn't that the same argument we've heard from the WIndows and Android crowd for years and in all product categories? I don't own a pair but I know people that do and they love them. The company know how to market-- I'm a frequent traveler and just as most tablets I see on a flight are Ipads, most over-ear headphones I see are Beats, and not just on kids. They clearly aren't pieces of crap as prevalent as they are in the current culture.
I think a big part of this acquisition that seems to be being over-looked is how this plays into the wearable market. Audio technology will play a big part in whatever that market ends up looking like. You add the licensing issues tied with a subscription type service and it seems pretty logical to me, if at a bit of a premium.
What Android fans say isn't true. Apple are not a significant marketing force. Samsung alone beats them 4-5 fold. MS spends more. So does google. Add most of the other Android and PC manufactures and they are probably out spent 20-1. What they are is real good at what they do.
As for the music streaming service as far as I can search - and I heard of beats the first time today - beats bought a company for $20M for that. How strange that it now adds so much value so quickly.
Comments
That is not an accurate statement because Beats ? Beats by Dre. Did you try any other Beats headphones outside of the one with Dre's name attached?
[IMG ALT=""]http://forums.appleinsider.com/content/type/61/id/42888/width/500/height/1000[/IMG]
I have yet to see a music service "get it". Spotify is nice but the recommendation and notification features are incredibly lackluster, not to mention the UI. The EchoNest acquisition helps but I don't see it being used to its real potential. Lots of companies are leaving a lot of great functionality and features on the table. (last.fm, spotify, apple, beats, amg/rovi, rdio, etc.)
The Beats hardware division is mass marketed, general consumer, and low quality. I don't know why Apple needs that from either a hardware or brand perspective. Unless this is for music licensing.
Apple should push further into the living room by buying Sonos ... or coming up with a competitive product - more robust than Airplay ...
What is the value proposition here? $200 Beats headphones are widely available in Cambodian markets for $10.
We just need a dedicated system of header categories for rumor articles. In ascending order of accuracy:
DigiTimes: [rumor title]
Grain Of Salt: [rumor title]
Analyst: [rumor title]
Prediction: [rumor title]
Leak: [rumor title]
Confirmed: [rumor title]
Spotify is the issue for Apple's music business. I've stopped using iTunes for music, period.
This payday will push Dr. Dre past P. Diddy net worth, I would imagine.
Much respect to Dr. Dre.
Not if it is the only way Apple can acquire those licenses. Note, I am speculating here because I cannot for the life of me see any other way Beats is worth that much. That being said, keep in mind the 3bn figure may be a leak from a Beats investor in an attempt to increase its perceived value.
The Beats Music app is incredibly lackluster and has done nothing to separate itself from the other streaming services that have come (and gone) in the past decade. I see this being a failure as well. Apple seemingly botched the LaLa acquisition so I don't see this being much different.
I have yet to see a music service "get it". Spotify is nice but the recommendation and notification features are incredibly lackluster, not to mention the UI. The EchoNest acquisition helps but I don't see it being used to its real potential. Lots of companies are leaving a lot of great functionality and features on the table. (last.fm, spotify, apple, beats, amg/rovi, rdio, etc.)
The Beats hardware division is mass marketed, general consumer, and low quality. I don't know why Apple needs that from either a hardware or brand perspective. Unless this is for music licensing.
This! The iTunes ecosystem is one of Apple's greatest strengths. It is the most user friendly music ecosystem on the planet. Spotify greatly damages that because the appeal of free on demand music is far greater than that of a great user experience. Despite the fact that its software is dogcrap and the policies are draconian (wonder where all the anti-DRM freaks are these days?).
iTunes needs a Spotify like service and beats may be the only way to get there. If so, it is worth its weight in gold.
Seems to me.. Beats are a great match for Apple in lots of ways!
* Bringing their streaming service in to the fold + who knows what engineering talent & intellectual property they have (or products in the pipeline)
* Jimmy Iovine pitching music streaming to Steve Jobs 10 years ago and responsible for building one hell of a brand in arguably a pretty niche sector. Whether you like the products or not that's the sort of driven character who melds pretty nicely with Apple's culture
* They produce great campaigns (that show their aspirations as a company?) showcasing personality & creativity - this video screams Apple?
* Technology has entered/is entering the jewellery & fashion industries. A lot of Apple's hires & developments are related to these at the moment
* They have huge mindshare
* They're a brand that a subset of people love to hate (much like Apple) for some reason! :P
We just need a dedicated system of header categories for rumor articles. In ascending order of accuracy:
DigiTimes: [rumor title]
Grain Of Salt: [rumor title]
Gene Munster: [rumor title]
Analyst: [rumor title]
Prediction: [rumor title]
Leak: [rumor title]
Confirmed: [rumor title]
Had to make an addition.
What am I not understanding if iTunes Radio is not a music streaming service like Spotify?
Oh .... so
So this all about Beats Music.
I am guessing the difference is you can't download from iTunes Radio ... I'm a bit puzzled too. I think Spotify and Beats Music allow a DRM shackled, limited time version to be downloaded. Crazy stuff if true!
Wait ... for kids with limited or no data plan they can load up music via wifi on their iPhone and then take to go.
What Android fans say isn't true. Apple are not a significant marketing force. Samsung alone beats them 4-5 fold. MS spends more. So does google. Add most of the other Android and PC manufactures and they are probably out spent 20-1. What they are is real good at what they do.
As for the music streaming service as far as I can search - and I heard of beats the first time today - beats bought a company for $20M for that. How strange that it now adds so much value so quickly.