All that was missing was the sound of a record needle scratch: Apple is doing what? Apple seemingly appears on the precipice of making its biggest acquisition ever. In the short term, Apple acquires a fast-growing brand whose ability to sell electronics at a high premium is rivaled only by Apple itself. Beats, a six-year-old company whose founders include Dr. Dre and record executive Jimmy Iovine, is reportedly profitable on revenues that were said to exceed $1 billion last year.