Beats Pill 2024 has dropped again! Save up to 37% on Beats' iconic updated Bluetooth speaker this Black Friday

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This stunning, iPhone-friendly, June 2024 speaker is now under $100 or £94 – for the first time ever!

Beats Pill in Champagne on blue background with TR's 'lowest price' badge
(Image credit: Beats)

Friends, as Black Friday sales go, this is an absolute barn-stormer. 2024 product? Yes, June 2024, to be precise. Trusted name in audio? Oh, they don't get much bigger than Apple (which owns Beats and is the brains and muscle behind the new Pill). Good review? I personally wrote TechRadar's Beats Pill review and I can tell you that for sound, the new Beats Pill excellent for this money.

In the US, the Beats Pill has just dropped to $99.95 (was 149.95) in what I believe is its first ever discount Stateside.

In the UK, the Beats Pill is now just £93.99 (was £149) in matte black, champagne gold, light grey or dark gray. And here's the thing: it dropped to £99 last week, so you're now getting an extra £6 off just for waiting a couple of days.

Look, I've got best Black Friday headphones deals, a Black Friday earbuds deals guide and even a Black Friday AirPods deals guide if you want those. But if you want a chic little speaker, keep reading.

Today's best Black Friday Bluetooth speaker deal

Beats Pill
Beats Pill: was £149.99 now £99 at Amazon

Don't worry, you've not gone back in time! Beats' 2012 capsule creation was given a thorough glow-up and re-release on June 25, 2024, and even at full price it arrived cheaper than it was in 2012! Is this new Beats Pill worthy of a spot in our best Bluetooth speakers buying guide? In many ways, yes. It sounds really good for its size and looks like it should have a Bang & Olufsen badge on the grille. OK, there's no app and you can only pair two of them (not up to 100, like you can with JBL) but if these things don't worry you, it's never had a price cut like this until now. At 34% off, I think it's a steal.

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Beats Pill
Beats Pill: was $149.99 now $99 at Amazon

It's OK, you've not passed through a time vortex! Beats' 2012 capsule creation was given a thorough glow-up and re-release on June 25, 2024, and even at full price it arrived cheaper than it was in 2012! This deal only applies for one or two finishes, but all are super-stylish and look more Bang & Olufsen than Beats, to us. Is it worthy of a spot in our best Bluetooth speakers buying guide? In many ways, yes. It sounds so good for its size and the design is a delight. OK, there's no app and you can only pair two of them (not up to 100, like you can with JBL) but if these things don't worry you, it's never had a price cut that we know of, until now.

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What's the lowdown on the Beats Pill? Let's talk sound first: it's very good – oodles of bass for its size and a surprising amount of clarity and detail too. You get Bluetooth 5.3 (even though only SBC and AAC are supported, so no higher-res codecs) and connection is rock solid. Also, this Pill can be used as a speakerphone during calls, which is a feature I love and one that seems to be a little (dare I say it) retro now – most options I test these days don't include the mics to do it.

OK, if you're prepared to pay more for something like the 2021-issue JBL Charge 5 (and you're OK with carting around a speaker that's 332g heavier) you'll get a sound that's a touch meatier and dynamically agile, but most of the Beats Pill's rivals neither look as high-end or last as long; the Charge 5's 20 hour-battery is beaten by the Pill's 24 hours of playback, for example.

The big ace up the Pill's sleeve is that you can use the included USB-C charging cable to either charge your phone, or to enjoy lossless audio from your laptop, phone, or other digital music sources.

Any downsides of note? One: daisy-chaining multiple speakers. Your only option for beefing up the Beats Pill's audio is to pair two of them, in either 'Amplify' or 'Stereo' modes – ie mono or stereo. So if you want to have scores of speakers in your home, a JBL option might be a better buy.

My advice? For this money, the 2024 Beats Pill is an ideal gift and one they'll love – or a little treat (hey, you work hard!) that you won't regret after Black Friday.

More of today's Black Friday deals, US

More of today's Black Friday deals, UK

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Becky Scarrott
Becky Scarrott
Audio Editor

Becky became Audio Editor at TechRadar in 2024, but joined the team in 2022 as Senior Staff Writer, focusing on all things hi-fi. Before this, she spent three years at What Hi-Fi? testing and reviewing everything from wallet-friendly wireless earbuds to huge high-end sound systems. Prior to gaining her MA in Journalism in 2018, Becky freelanced as an arts critic alongside a 22-year career as a professional dancer and aerialist – any love of dance starts with a love of music. Becky has previously contributed to Stuff, FourFourTwo and The Stage. When not writing, she can still be found throwing shapes in a dance studio, these days with varying degrees of success.