Sirius XM's latest blunder: Its iPhone app
Sirius XM is at it again. The company that has faced numerous financial issues over the past few years has finally released its much-anticipated app for the iPhone and iPod Touch. There's just one problem: it leaves out much of the good stuff.
The Sirius XM app (and its missing channels).
(Credit: Sirius XM)The new app allows users to access some of the service's sports, talk, comedy, and music channels. The available channels include, Oprah Radio, MLB Home Plate, NFL Radio, NHL Home Ice, Mad Dog Radio, The Foxxhole comedy channel, and NPR.
Users will also have access to a variety of Sirius XM music channels, including E Street Radio, The Grateful Dead Channel, Eminem's Shade 45, Radio Margaritaville, Siriusly Sinatra, and others. All told, users will be able to listen to 120 channels. Any music track can be purchased in iTunes while listening to it in the Sirius XM app.
But it's the omissions that will undoubtedly sway public opinion. According to Sirius XM, "some select programming, including MLB Play-by-Play, NFL Play-by-Play, Nascar Radio, and Howard Stern, will not be available on the iPhone and iPod Touch."
In its press release, Sirius XM didn't provide any reason why some of its most popular channels aren't included. But after some digging, I found that those omissions may be due to "mobile-performance rights."
"Sirius and XM offer all of the channels for which we have mobile-performance rights," the company wrote on its iPhone app's FAQ page. "For that reason, certain channels which may be available on your satellite radio or online radio service may not be available on a mobile device like the iPhone."
Sirius XM is giving users a free seven-day trial with the app. After that, it's charging a fee to access the content. I called a Sirius XM customer service representative to see how much it would cost to get that service. He told me that as a current Sirius XM subscriber, I would need to pay an additional $2.99 per month after the seven-day trial. Those who currently do not subscribe to the service will be forced to pay $12.95 per month for access.
According to Howard Stern on his radio show Tuesday, 60 percent of Sirius XM's subscribers--about 20 million, at last count (PDF)--listen to Stern's two channels. That means 12 million people who currently have satellite radio won't have any use for its streaming app.
And considering that subscribers won't be able to listen to games or races from the three most popular sports leagues in the U.S.--Nascar, Major League Baseball, and the National Football League--where's the "must-have" channel that would make us want this app?
The main problem with Sirius XM's app isn't that it doesn't provide good content; indeed, a lot of great music channels are included. Rather, it's that nothing is really so uniquely compelling that it would make us want to pay for it. Will Chris "Mad Dog" Russo get you to pay more every month for a Sirius XM app? Does Oprah Radio really justify that additional cost? I don't think so.
We also can't forget that there are countless free apps already in the App Store that will play the same songs as the Sirius XM app, with added personalization. Pandora, Last.fm, Slacker, and many other mobile-music apps provide our favorite music at no cost. (Disclosure: Last.fm is a part of CBS Interactive, which also publishes CNET News.) We can listen to Bruce Springsteen on Pandora. We can catch all our favorite Jimmy Buffett tunes in Slacker. Furthermore, all the songs we really like are probably already sitting in our iTunes library within the iPhone or iPod.
So what's the catch? What's the Sirius XM app's redeeming quality that would make us want to pay $2.99 or $12.95 more a month to have it? Without Howard Stern and live sports commentary, I just don't know.
I had high hopes for the Sirius XM iPhone app. And now I'm disappointed. Its programming isn't compelling enough to make me want it. It leaves out many of the channels most subscribers care about. And for what it's offering, it's a bit overpriced.
Sorry, Sirius XM. This app isn't the way to profitability.
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Don Reisinger is a technology columnist who has written about everything from HDTVs to computers to Flowbee Haircut Systems. Don is a member of the CNET Blog Network, and posts at The Digital Home. He is not an employee of CNET. Disclosure.
What this is is Sirius lawyers being extra careful legally, though it does raise the question as per why Opie and Anthony made it to the app when they have a "mobile" publishing deal with Audible.
I have a Sirius subscription because I recently bought a car that has Sirius installed. I haven't once entertained the thought of listening to him and I was a fan for ten years from 94-2004. He's washed up. The only thing I can say is that I"m too lazy to call Siruis and specifically block the channel. I guess it's assumed that you're going to listen to his channel for one second and then you'll be counted as a listener.
Meanwhile I listen to XM online to Opie and Anthony using my windows mobile phone, and then use the bluetooth in the car to hear it in my car or my stereo bluetooth headphones. I live in an area where I never lose 3G data access. I'm tempted to get an Iphone now that O and A are on it, but it seems the third party Sirius/XM apps for Windows Mobile as more channels available, like ESPN radio.
Go to HD radio and listen to all their commercials, plus you can enjoy hunting for radio stations when you go on a road trip.
Seriously man, think about this. Sirius' rates were hiked in March if you have more than one receiver. They took away free streaming radio for subscribers soon after. Now in July they want me to pay for some Music Royalty Fees each month. And in 2010 they will have the ability to raise their base subscription rates again. It's just one blow after another for subscribers. The content may be good but it may be getting to that point where I decide I can listen to a few commercials to save a wad of cash.
But Stern??? Perhaps one of the biggest blunders I've ever seen. I was so excited about this launch so I could listen to Stern wherever I may be. This would be so great in an office for example!
Here's hoping it gets fixed quickly and Howard had nothing to do with it.
If they had said we know, and we are working on securing those rights, and adding channels and personalities I would have felt much better. If they had said Howard is coming as soon as we can renegotiate his contract. If they had said more sports are coming in the fall... If they had said... if, if, if.
I reactivated my online account for this app. I will give it a couple of months to see what if anything is added, but I am afraid these first impressions of today are correct and I will be canceling the internet service and deleting this App.
If you "Seriously" (pun intended) want to listen to Sirius on the go, then by a Sirius Stiletto portable radio.
The overall long term costs are cheaper, and you will not clog up the Internet streaming audio when you can receive it anywhere in the US on a hand held radio. Plus you can get a docking station to connect it to you home stereo or car stereo.
This app is worthless without Howard. I'm going to get "Pocket Tunes" and hope it works.
Sirius has a lot of problems, but this one really tops all others.
The problems with this statement should be obvious to anyone. Just because Howard reports that 60% of the listeners access his channels (I am not willing to grant this based on Stern's baised reporting of the number) it clearly does not imply that they ONLY access his channels.
To put it differently, almost half of Sirius/XM customers won't care at all that Stern is not present, as he doesn't even appear on their radar.
See how spinning sounds?
I agree that it would be better for SiriusXm if Stern were available on the mobile app. I hope they get the rights worked out to provide this. I suspect that Stern does not want to concede this without more money sent his way, or else it would already be worked out. Hopefully the $2.99 stream fee for the early adopters justifies any outlay of cash needed to bring Stern and andy sports that are missing onto it.
The interesting thing I see is that this would give us yet another data point to see how important Stern is to the company. If they bring him online in two months but no one new signs up for the mobile service, does it indicate a failure of the mobile service - or is it in an indicator of Stern's importance?
I own a small amount of SiriusXM stock, for the record. I'd stil think this was biased and poor reporting if I didn't.
"According to Howard Stern on his radio show Tuesday, 60 percent of Sirius XM's subscribers--about 20 million, at last count (PDF)--listen to Stern's two channels. That means 12 million people who currently have satellite radio won't have any use for its streaming app."
So because there are 12 million listeners of his crap channels, they will have no other use for this app? Those 12 million people ONLY have Sirius for Stern? Really?
I guess anyone can get a blog on CNET these days. It sure seems that way.
60% of people listen to Howard Stern. Therefore without Howard Stern, 60% of people will have NOTHING to listen to. Because Howard Stern is ALL that they listen to currently.
Eh, no.
Sirius/XM is on the way down, they need to find ways to make money so they add all these fees. Enjoy satellite radio while it last because soon they are going to be out of money.
- by DaShooter1 June 18, 2009 9:24 AM PDT
- Frankly this app pisses me off to no extent. I am seriously considering canceling my xm radio. XM already streams all channels to the internet and you need pay nothing extra to listen. However since the internet play is written in flash and the Iphone does not support flash, you cant listen from the website. Streaming to the internet is streaming to the internet the client bandwidth is ATT's problem not XM's. There is no reason for xm to charge extra for a service like this. I could see charging for the app to cover R&D but even that is a stretch. I encorage all of you to complain to XM for this fee, it is just a fleeting attempt for a failing company to try and make a little money. This app however is going to cause them to lose my bussiness.
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- by poterala June 18, 2009 10:45 AM PDT
- Incorrect. XM does NOT stream all channels on the net without cost. They stream MOST channels on the Net, but if you're an XM subscriber and want ALL channels available, you pay $2.99/month. As for who has to pay for the bandwidth, you're also wrong. MANY bandwidth providers charge the providers of content for the bandwidth consumed. Think ABC or Hulu doesn't get a bill for providing all of those shows over the net?
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- by TommyGun65 June 19, 2009 4:56 AM PDT
- When did XM start streaming all channels to the internet? I have not used streaming since they raised the prices but they were missing several channels back then. Also, I would never listen to Stern. Now for those who are complaining because they don't have Stern; stop your childish complaining and send a letter (or email), start a petition or do something else useful to change the situation.
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Showing 1 of 3 pages (91 Comments)If you're already paying the $2.99 fee for streaming all XM channels, there is NO additional fee to use this app.