Apple is negotiating to buy headphone maker and music-streaming service Beats Electronics LLC for more than $US3 billion ($A3.3 billion), which would be the largest acquisition in the tech giant’s history.

Neither company has officially confirmed the deal between the iPhone maker and Beats, but Forbes.com reported the acquisition could be completed in “a matter of days”.

Apple would by Beats for $US3.2 billion, Bloomberg reported citing “people with knowledge of the matter”.

Beats co-founder, hip hop artist Dr Dre, alluded to the deal in a YouTube video saying: “The first billionaire in hip hop history right here.”

Beats was founded in 2008 by Dr Dre and music executive Jimmy Iovine.

The company launched a streaming music service in January to compete with the Swedish company Spotify, Pandora Media and Apple’s iTunes Radio, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Smartphone manufacturer HTC pulled out of Beats in September after purchasing the majority of the company in 2011.

DPA