Beats and Verdy just turned the Pill into an art toy, and it bites

Beats and Japanese artist Verdy are teaming up once again, and this time, they’re letting Vear do the talking.

The latest collaboration between the audio powerhouse and the graphic design legend takes the form of a limited-edition art toy: a reimagined “Vear” character clutching the newly relaunched Beats Bluetooth speaker in its mouth.

The pair previously worked together on a Girls Don’t Cry edition of the Beats Flex earbuds in 2023, followed by the original Vear Pill holder drop in August 2024.

Each outing has pushed the boundaries of what tech-meets-art can look like, and this latest one might be the most daring yet.

Rendered in Verdy’s unmistakably playful style, the new cream-coloured Vear figure is a nostalgic nod to the original Pill People, now filtered through the lens of Japan’s streetwear-meets-pop-art scene.

“I remember seeing the Beats original character back in the day, and I thought it was super cool,” Verdy said. “Now I feel so happy that I had the opportunity to create my own version.”

To round out the drop, Verdy enlisted Japanese rapper YoungCoco, signed to his own Verdy Sounds label, for an original launch track, adding an audio element to an already sonically-charged collab.

The included Beats Pill itself delivers 24 hours of battery life, IP67 dust and water resistance, and bold, room-filling sound that punches way above its size.

The Vear collectable art figure, bundled with a Beats Pill, launches on 21 August exclusively at Dover Street Market London for £380 (~$513.71/ AU$792.52) as part of Verdy’s Gift Shop takeover.

A wider release is expected later this year in the US, China, and Japan.