Headphone maker Beats has filed suit against a number of Chinese counterfeiters, alleging trademark infringement and seeking damages that could run into the billions of dollars just weeks before the company officially becomes an Apple subsidiary.
The latest data from Nielsen shows that sales of digital albums are down 11.6 percent, while purchases of individual tracks are down 13 percent, as on-demand streaming audio has surged 50.1 percent, helping to provide some insight into why Apple purchased Beats Music.
Continuing its recent spree of acquisitions, Google on Tuesday announced it has purchased curated music streaming service Songza for an undisclosed sum.
Apple was awarded a patent by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office today, describing a design for high fidelity speakers making use of lighter than air gas in mobile speakers.
Apple will know whether European antitrust authorities will clear its $3 billion deal for headphone maker Beats by the end of next month, paving the way for the acquisition to close before the end of Apple's 2014 fiscal year.
In a surprise appearance at the Cannes Lions festival, rapper Kanye West said a collaboration between fellow performer Jay Z and Samsung last year played into Apple's decision to buy Beats and acqui-hire cofounders Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre.
According to a report on Wednesday, Basketball superstar LeBron James saw a $30 million windfall on his small stake in Beats Electronics after Apple acquired the headphone maker for $3 billion in May.
The Wall Street Journal on Friday published an in-depth look at Beats cofounder Dr. Dre, who will be joining Apple after his company was purchased for $3 billion. He is described as a perfectionist, workaholic and someone who relies on their gut — like late Apple cofounder Steve Jobs.
Amid the furor of Apple's $3 billion purchase of Beats, pundits asked why the Cupertino company would sink so much capital into what amounts to a brand name. A report on Thursday now claims a shortsighted and credulous iTunes management team put out an inferior product in iTunes Radio, which in turn forced the acquisition.
After Apple announced a $3 billion acquisition of Beats Electronics and Beats Music — expected to be finalized later this year — the music company's Beats by Dre headphone arm released a lengthy World Cup promo guest starring the iPhone 5s.
Apple's latest high-profile hire, rapper and entrepreneur Dr. Dre, made his grand debut at the Worldwide Developers Conference on Monday on the receiving end a phone call from Apple software chief Craig Federighi.
Apple's mobile advertising efforts are expected to increase this year, when the company is reportedly planning to have locally targeted ads air on iTunes Radio, and will also begin promoting iTunes content through its own iAd network.
As part of its $3 billion acquisition of Beats, Apple is paying less than $500 million for the Beats Music streaming service and more than $2.5 billion for the firm's hardware arm, one report says.
Apple's recently-confirmed $3 billion purchase of headphone maker and streaming music provider Beats may be the largest cash outlay in its history, but it's far from the Cupertino company's biggest bet on an acquisition.
When recent reports suggested Apple was considering bringing iTunes to Android to help boost flagging music sales, skeptics scoffed at the thought of the iPhone maker supporting a competing platform. But with its $3 billion purchase of Beats, Apple has now revealed it plans to keep the Beats Music subscription apps alive not only on Google's Android, but also Microsoft's Windows Phone.
Apple's newly announced $3 billion acquisition of Beats Music and Beats Electronics has received a generally warm response from prominent analysts on Wall Street, who believe the purchase could help Apple compensate for shrinking digital music sales on the iTunes Store.
Speaking at the Code Conference on Wednesday, Apple SVP of Internet Software and Services Eddy Cue and Beats cofounder Jimmy Iovine offered a peek behind the curtain of Apple's $3 billion deal covering everything from subscription music services to future hardware.
Ammunition, the design studio responsible for Beats Electronics' iconic hardware styling, announced on Wednesday that it will transition away from the company in the coming months as new owner Apple takes over.
Hot off its acquisition by Apple, Beats Music announced in an update to its iOS app on Wednesday that new users can take advantage of an extended 14-day free trial period and decreased annual subscription pricing.
In an interview explaining Apple's purchase of Beats Electronics and Beats Music, CEO Tim Cook looks toward expanding the iTunes business model and building future products co-designed by the two companies.
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Sam Oliver
Neil Hughes
AppleInsider Staff
Daniel Eran Dilger
Mikey Campbell
