LeBron James apparently gave the tech industry a big hint over the weekend about an unannounced Apple product. The Los Angeles Laker arrived at Denver's Ball Arena on Saturday with what sharp-eyed gadget enthusiasts (h/t macrumors) immediately recognized as an unreleased version of the Beats Pill Bluetooth speaker.

The prospect of a new Beats Pill has been interesting since Apple quietly discontinued its latest version in early 2022. It was the Pill+, and while reviewers at the time appreciated the improved sound quality, they were put off by the high price of $230 (£190, A$360 at the time of release), with many saying that other options at the time like the JBL Charge 3 and UE Boom 2 were a better overall package

Apple's "I'm not sure I'd have liked it.

Apple left the issue alone, and instead Beats seemed to focus on making really good headphones. But is Pill about to make a comeback? The fact that one of the biggest sports superstars on the planet is walking around with the Pill and posting it on Instagram seems to be a big clue.

The speaker James is holding in his hand clearly displays the Beats logo, and he is carrying it on a strap that has never been used on any Beats Pill speaker before.

What else can we expect from the new Beats Pill? Given that the previous version was released nine years ago, USB-C charging and improved audio and Bluetooth technology are almost certain.

Beats has enough brand power in the audio arena, but the competition for the best Bluetooth speaker is only going to intensify; there are strong rumors that Sonos will launch the Roam 2 within a few months, and Tom, who recently auditioned it at a launch event in London 's Guide audio editor Lee Dunkley was blown away by Sony's new Ult series of Bluetooth speakers after listening to them at a recent launch event in London.

So while the new Beats Pill speaker appears to be on its way, its success in the market is not a slam dunk for 2024.