Summary
- The Pokémon edition Beats Pill is priced at $149.99, the same as other Beats Pill versions.
- It launches Thursday, Oct. 15, and in the US is sold through Apple's website and Target.
- The design puts Pikachu and Mimikyu on a gray speaker and adds Poké Ball, Beats logo and lightning bolt charms.
- Hardware is unchanged from the regular Pill, including up to 24 hours of battery life and IP67 dust and water resistance.
What was announced
Beats is selling a special-edition version of its Beats Pill Bluetooth speaker made with The Pokémon Company International. The collaboration was announced on Oct. 13, a day after Beats posted a teaser video, according to MacRumors, and the speaker's launch date is Thursday, Oct. 15. [1]
The speaker features two Pokémon: Pikachu and Mimikyu. Dexerto reported that the front and back mix Pikachu's electric yellow with a grayscale design inspired by Mimikyu, while MacRumors and Gizmodo describe the body and grille as gray, matching the standard Beats Pill apart from the Pokémon artwork. [3] [1] [2]
Price and where to buy
The Pokémon edition costs $149.99, the same price as other Beats Pill variants, according to MacRumors and Gizmodo. Gizmodo noted that Beats is not charging a premium for the special design. [1] [2]
MacRumors reported that sales are limited to three countries. In the United States, the speaker is available through Apple's website and Target, both online and in select stores. In the United Kingdom it is sold through Apple and Argos, and in China through Apple and Douyin. [1]
Charms and packaging
Beyond the printed artwork, the speaker comes with add-on charms: a Poké Ball, the Beats "b" logo, and lightning bolt pieces modeled on Pikachu. Dexerto reported these are the first charms Beats has included with a Pill speaker. The box also uses a themed, interactive packaging design, and Gizmodo said stickers are included. [1] [3] [2]
Same hardware as the standard Pill
The internals match the regular Beats Pill. The speaker is rated for up to 24 hours of battery life and carries an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance. It supports lossless audio over USB-C when connected to a source device, and its USB-C port can also charge a compatible phone. [1] [3]
Two Beats Pill speakers can be paired wirelessly in Amplify Mode, which boosts overall volume, or Stereo Mode, which splits left and right channels. The speaker also keeps the removable lanyard and silicone backing found on the standard version, according to Dexerto. [1] [2] [3]
What Beats said
Beats chief marketing officer Chris Thorne said in the announcement that "Pokémon Trainers are some of the most passionate in the world," and described the partnership as a way for fans to express their love of Pokémon through sound, according to Dexerto and MacRumors. [3] [1]
Dexerto placed the release alongside Pokémon's 30th anniversary celebrations, which earlier this year included Pikachu, Sylveon and Poké Ball themed Polaroid instant cameras starting at $99.99. Gizmodo noted that neither Beats nor Pokémon had formally tied the speaker to the anniversary. [3] [2]
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