Beats is an aspirational fashion brand. Apple have risen to dominance as... an aspirational fashion brand. They seem very aligned: high-margin, relatively expen

Beats is an aspirational fashion brand. Apple have risen to dominance as... an aspirational fashion brand. They seem very aligned: high-margin, relatively expensive, weakly aspirational electronic goods which play a huge role in pop culture. Not only does Apple get a well-aligned brand poised for growth, but they also eliminate a potential threat in the weak-aspirational electronics space. Apple and Beats are also unique: they're the only two weakly aspirational brands I can think of that present organically in haute/celebrity culture. Both brands have managed, somehow, to punch up and mingle with strong-aspirational / luxury products while still being accessible to a large audience. You're more likely to see a movie star, rapper, or trust-funder get out of their Ferrari wearing an Audemars carrying an iPhone than a Vertu, and Beats headphones rather than Sennheisers. That's a powerful, rare achievement in brand position and it makes sense for one company which has truly mastered the art to snap up an upstart that seems to be on track to accomplish the same thing.