HTC to buy stake in Beats – high-end headphones to come to smartphones?

By Joe Cox
published

The phone manufacturer is expected to buy a 51% share in the brand, which includes Beats by Dre, for $309 million

Beats by Dr. Dre

HTC is set to buy a 51% share in Beats Electronics, the company responsible for the massively successful Beats by Dr. Dre headphones.

The company expects to close the deal later this month and HTC products incorporating the technology are naturally predicted to follow.

Beats Electronics has already partnered with the likes of Dr. Dre, Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber on headphones, while Beats by Dr. Dre sound has in turn been incorporated in to HP laptops.

The company was founded by Jimmy Iovene, who is also chairman of Interscope Records, and Dr. Dre, better known as a music producer.

HTC has invested in five companies this year, including Onlive, an on-demand game service, and Saffron Digital, a digital media delivery company.

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Joe Cox
Joe Cox
Content Director

Joe is Content Director for T3 and What Hi-Fi?, having previously been the Global Editor-in-Chief of What Hi-Fi?. He has worked on What Hi-Fi? across the print magazine and website for more than 15 years, writing news, reviews and features on everything from turntables to TVs, headphones to hi-fi separates. He has covered product launch events across the world, from Apple to Technics, Sony and Samsung; reported from CES, the Bristol Show, and Munich High End for many years; and written for sites such as the BBC, Stuff, and the Guardian. In his spare time, he enjoys expanding his vinyl collection and cycling (not at the same time).