We heard about a big announcement coming from HTC earlier in the day, and could only speculate as to what it would be. HTC seem to be adding to their portfolio lately, what with the recent acquisition of Dashwire, and S3 Graphics, it should probably come as no shock that HTC has now invested something like 300 million dollars in to Beats Technology. Beats, mainly known for their Headphone Line, is lesser known for the tech that is especially useful for allegedly restoring the finer details in an audio file that have been inevitably lost due to compression when it is converted into more portable but lossy formats such as MP3.
Potentially this means in the near future, we will see HTC Phones, with Beats sound enhancement included, and let’s face it most people are likely to be listening to music on a phone these days, rather than a dedicated music player. The Beats tech has long been incorporated into HP computers, and HTC will only be in control of the tech where it applies to it’s devices. Beats Technology will continue to operate autonomously, and maintain all of it’s present partnerships. This is good news for HTC fans, who can expect to be offered a richer multimedia experience through their handsets in the future. When or what upcoming devices from HTC will have the Beats technology incorporated is an unknown at this point. Hopefully this also improves the included hardware, headphones that come standard with HTC phones now. Read on for the full press release, and video below.
HTC AND BEATS BY DR. DRE SET TO INTRODUCE NEW ERA IN MOBILE AUDIO
Strategic HTC investment to result in Beats-integrated HTC phones this fall
TAOYUAN, Taiwan, and SANTA MONICA, Calif. — Aug. 11, 2011 — HTC Corp., a global designer of mobile devices, today announced a strategic partnership and investment with Beats™ Electronics LLC., the company redefining the audio market with its iconic Beats by Dr. Dre™ audio experience. The two fast-growing brands will focus on bringing high performance sound to HTC phones.
“The HTC and Beats by Dr. Dre partnership is an opportunity for two world-class companies to redefine the smartphone industry and define the future,” said Jimmy Iovine, chairman of Beats by Dr. Dre and chairman and CEO of Interscope Geffen A&M Records, which is a division of Universal Music Group and a stakeholder in Beats. “For Beats by Dr. Dre, this represents a critical step in our continued mission to clean up the destruction of audio caused by the digital revolution and reengineer how sound is delivered, so the consumer feels the music the way that the artist intended.”
HTC and Beats have been working together to create superior mobile audio experiences for consumers, which will result in a line of HTC devices integrated with Beats sound innovations, available this fall.
“Beats has found a unique way to harness popular culture in a manner that is unlike any other brand today,” said Peter Chou, CEO of HTC Corp. “It’s an exciting brand that has been built around providing something very special, and we believe our strategic partnership will provide customers with unbeatable sound on HTC phones. We obsess over every detail of a consumer’s mobile experience, and audio is a critical part of that experience.”
HTC is known for unifying content, services and devices into unique mobile experiences. And Beats is known for its unique consumer brand appeal and ability to reproduce the full spectrum of sound captured in professional recording studios, allowing consumers to hear music the way the artist intended. Bringing these two great brands together will create superior mobile music and sound experiences while accelerating HTC’s entry into the youth and accessories markets globally.
Beats Electronics will continue to operate autonomously — with Iovine as chairman and Luke Wood as president and chief operating officer — with its current business partnerships, including Monster Cable Products Inc., HP and Chrysler Group LLC. Iovine also will continue serving as chairman of Interscope Geffen A&M Records.
“Our customers have clearly responded to Beats and HTC, and Best Buy is proud to feature their products in our stores,” said Brian J. Dunn, CEO, Best Buy. “We are committed to offering innovative and entertaining technologies that help consumers enhance their lives. Our customers expect that from us. The unique HTC Sense experience and the great sound of Beats provide prime examples of that focus.”
About Beats Electronics LLC.
Established in 2006, Beats Electronics is the brainchild of legendary artist and producer Dr. Dre and chairman of Interscope Geffen A&M Records Jimmy Iovine, who set out to develop a new type of headphone with the capability to reproduce the full spectrum of sound that musical artists and producers hear in professional recording studios. For more information, please visit http://beatsbydre.com.
About HTC
HTC Corp. (HTC) is one of the fastest-growing companies in the mobile phone industry. By putting people at the center of everything it does, HTC creates innovative devices that better serve the lives and needs of individuals. The company is listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange under ticker 2498. For more information about HTC, please visit www.htc.com.
