Apple’s acquisition of Beats Electronic still hasn’t officially been announced, and a new Billboard report offers a few possibilities as to what may be holding up the deal.
Billboard’s sources indicate the deal “is complicated”, as it would be Apple’s largest acquisition. In addition, the news apparently leaked “too early”, with Apple nowhere near ready for news to break despite publications like Re/code and The Financial Times reporting that the deal is close to completion.
Another sticking point could be the video that wound up on YouTube of Beats co-founder Dr. Dre celebrating being the “first billionaire in hip-hop” after the deal. The video reportedly “freaked Apple out” due to the NSFW language in the premature announcement.
Apple is also allegedly uncertain what to do with Beats co-founders Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre, wavering between giving them roles as permanent consultants, or full-time executive roles. His despite reports this week that the pair were the main lure for Apple’s acquisition of Beats.
Another rumored sticking point in the deal is Apple’s valuation of Beats Music. The 200,000 subscriber music streaming service has been listed as one of the main attractions in the deal.
