Beats teases a Pokémon Pill speaker after photos of the Target box got there first
Beats teased a Pokémon collaboration in a short video of its Pill speaker, regularly priced at $149.99 in the US. The Pikachu design comes from Target shelf photos, and no release date has been disclosed.
The Product Desk
Key figures: MacRumors says the Beats Pill is regularly priced at $149.99 in the US; 9to5Mac says you can regularly catch it for $129; the gap between the $149.99 list price and the $129 price is $20.99.
| Figure | Value | Note | Claim |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beats Pill US regular price (MacRumors) | $149.99 | 3 | |
| Can regularly catch it for | $129 9to5Mac | 5 | |
| List vs regular price gap | $20.99 | 7 |
What happened
- The teaser clip shows a Beats Pill with Beats and Poké Ball icons side by side, under the title "Time to catch something new."
- Earlier this month, Pokémon creator BritBratTV shared two photos of an alleged Pikachu-themed Pill box at Target.
- 9to5Mac says the teaser confirms Beats is working with Pokémon as its next collaboration.
Why it matters
- What doesn't add up contradiction 9to5Mac's headline says Apple confirms the collaboration, but its opening line says only that it looks like a Pill collaboration, so the partnership is settled and the Pikachu design still rests on inference.
- What it limits constraint Anyone planning a gift, a giveaway or a store display around the edition has no release date to schedule against.
- Who has to decide decision A team buying Pills for staff or customers has to choose between the standard model at its $129 street price and the Pokémon edition.
Next story · Product · 3d ago
Beats' Pokémon Pill speaker costs the same $149.99 as the regular modelConfirmed4 publishers
Pikachu enters this story through packaging photos, and MacRumors supplies the link to the clip: it judged the Target box the likely subject of the teaser [10]. We think that inference is reasonable.
The pitch is a Pikachu-themed speaker. What Beats has done is publish a short clip in which, per 9to5Mac, elements of the Pill's design light up [4].
The price gives a buyer something to work with, though only as a benchmark. The standard Pill lists at $149.99 in the US [3], and 9to5Mac says it can regularly be had for $129 [5]. The gap is $20.99 [7]. Suppose the Pokémon edition lists at $149.99; no source says it will. A buyer would then pay about 16% over the usual $129 for the themed version [8].
We think the buyer here is a Pokémon fan, and that person has the least to go on today. Sorting a prospective buyer on two facts covers the cases: whether they would pay $149.99 for the plain Pill, and whether Pikachu is the reason they want one.
- Would pay list for the plain Pill and wants Pikachu: hold the purchase until Beats publishes a date and a price. - Would not pay list and wants Pikachu: the price is the decision, and $129 is the figure to hold the themed edition against [5]. - Pikachu is not the reason: the teaser changes nothing, because the plain Pill is already sold at $149.99 list and regularly at $129 [3][5].
What to watch
- Beats publishing a release date and a price for the Pokémon edition. The price would settle whether it lists at $149.99.
- Whether Beats shows the finished product as Pikachu-themed, as the Target box suggests.
- Whether Beats describes the edition as limited or permanent, which the reports do not say.
Clarity's read
What the record supports and how the coverage leans. The claims behind it follow.
Reality
- Evidence50
- Adoption
- Not scored
- Hype gap+20
- Incentives
- Not scored
- Confidence65
Claim ledger
Ranked by verification strength, evidence, and original report placement.
- [1]
Beats shared a short video teasing a collaboration with Pokémon that appears to be for a Pikachu-themed Beats Pill speaker.
- [2]
The teaser clip shows a Beats Pill speaker and Beats and Poké Ball icons side by side, under the video title "Time to catch something new."
- [3]
In the U.S., the Beats Pill Bluetooth speaker is regularly priced at $149.99.
- [4]
In the teaser, a Beats Pill Bluetooth speaker can be seen as various elements light up the design.
- [5]
The Beats Pill goes for $149.99, although you can regularly catch it for $129.
- [6]
A release date for the Beats and Pokémon Pill has yet to be disclosed.
- [7]
The gap between the Pill's $149.99 list price and its regular $129 price is $20.99.
- [8]
A themed Pill listed at $149.99 would sit about 16% above the standard Pill's regular $129 price.
- [9]
Earlier this month, Pokémon content creator BritBratTV shared two photos of an alleged Pikachu-themed Beats Pill speaker box at U.S. retailer Target.
- [10]
MacRumors judged the alleged Pikachu Pill box at Target likely to be what the teaser video is for.
- [11]
9to5Mac says the teaser clip confirms the Apple-owned brand Beats is working with Pokémon as its next collaboration.
- [12]
9to5Mac's report opens: "It looks like Apple's Beats and Pokémon are teaming up for a Beats Pill Bluetooth speaker collaboration."
- [13]
9to5Mac's headline says Apple confirms the Beats x Pokémon collaboration with a Pill speaker teaser.
Sources
2 independent publishers whose own reporting we read for this story.
- 9to5mac.comApple confirms Beats x Pokémon collaboration with Pill speaker teaser
1 article · October 12, 2026
- macrumors.comApple and Pokémon Tease Special Pikachu-Themed Beats Pill Speaker
1 article · October 12, 2026
Topics and entities
Topics
- Consumer Audio
- Brand collaborations