Image: 3D Brained/Shutterstock
Logitech wants to be a big noise in podcasting.
Consumer electronics giant Logitech is acquiring hardware company Blue Microphones for $117m in cash.
The move will be a big boost for Logitech’s audio hardware business.
‘The end result is fulfilling our ultimate purpose: helping as many of our users find and amplify their voice as we can’
– JOHN MAIER
Blue Microphones is the hardware company behind popular podcasting USB condenser microphones such as Yeti and Snowball, and the acquisition will give Logitech an edge in a rapidly growing creative space.
Step up to the mic, Logitech
Founded 36 years ago, Logitech is a Swiss-headquartered electronics giant with a massive global reach. Its name is derived from the French word for software, logiciel.
Last year, it signalled its move into exciting new markets, beginning with the acquisition of Astro Gaming, a maker of headsets for gamers, for $85m in cash.
Blue was established in California in 1995 by an American session musician, Skipper Wise, and Latvian recording engineer Mārtiņš Saulespurēns. It designs and produced microphones, headphones, signal processors and recording tools for musicians and audio professionals.
“Logitech’s acquisition of Blue Microphones will accelerate our entry into a growing market, and offers another way for us to help bring people’s passions (from music to blogging) to life,” said Logitech CEO Bracken Darrell.
“Joining with Blue is an adjacent opportunity for us; a new way to grow with additional synergies related to our existing gaming, PC webcam and audio categories. It’s exciting!”
Blue CEO John Maier said the company has a lot in common with Logitech, and that it will keep creating cool stuff for professional musicians, gamers, podcasters, YouTubers and streamers.
“With Logitech’s vast resources and incredible reach, Blue will be on a much bigger stage from the beginning.
“The end result is fulfilling our ultimate purpose: helping as many of our users find and amplify their voice as we can.”
