The big problem with Apple's reported $3.2 billion Beats Audio acquisition

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The big problem with Apple's reported $3.2 billion Beats Audio acquisition
(Image credit: ELSA/Getty Images)

Apple is reportedly on the verge of forking over a mammoth $3.2 billion for hip hop impresario and production legend Dr Dre's Beats Audio, turning Dre into a billionaire and ensuring that nobody will ever forget about him again.

Now, $3.2 billion is a drop in the bucket for Apple, which is sitting on a pile of cash of up to $150 billion. And Apple would get a lot in this deal — namely, Beats' headphone business and its audio streaming service.

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John Aziz is the economics and business correspondent at TheWeek.com. He is also an associate editor at Pieria.co.uk. Previously his work has appeared on Business Insider, Zero Hedge, and Noahpinion.