Rumor: HTC could bid adieu to Beats integration

It was last year when we read about how HTC picked up Dr. Dre’s Beats in order to differentiate their products from other competitors, but it seems that the arrangement somehow did not work out too well. MyDrivers.com has the latest skinny on the situation, where they claim that Taiwan-based HTC might have grown cold towards the Beats brand, too – especially after selling off 50% of its stake in the headphone brand earlier this year. Assuming this particular rumor is true and HTC actually says goodbye to Beats Audio from their entire smartphone range, do you think that HTC would be better off for it?

As long as the complete separation from Beats does not end up causing a huge financial problem for HTC, I think that HTC is most probably able to survive, and perhaps even thrive as they look for new and different ways to innovate. Some say that Beats Audio is just equalization software, and this particular feature could be implemented using other free or cheaper algorithms, so dropping Beats could equal to paying less money for licensing, and hopefully, the cost savings will be passed on to ordinary folk like you and I.

Update: HTC has contacted us with an official statement about this rumor:  “HTC remains strongly committed to Beats Audio and including their innovation in our devices. Any rumor of HTC no longer integrating Beats Audio into our devices is categorically false.”

Edwin Kee
Categories: Audio
Tags: beats, HTC