iSirius
by John Paczkowski
Posted on March 12, 2009 at 8:40 AM PT
It’s taken far too long, but Sirius XM (SIRI) is coming to the iPhone. During a conference call to discuss the better-than-expected fourth-quarter results it posted last night, the satellite radio operator said we can expect an application that will stream its service to the iPhone and iPod touch to debut sometime in Q2. According to James Meyer, Sirius’s president of operations, this will allow the company to offer its services to an estimated seven million iPhone/iPod touch users in the states. Said Meyer, “We’ve been testing a number of initiatives to make the Sirius XM content and experience more ubiquitous. …This is a large and interesting opportunity that will maintain our subscription-based economics while providing customers with easy access to our content through means other than our traditional satellite-based platform.”
A wise move, since Sirius needs to drive sales and consumers are cutting back on the purchase of new cars, one of the company’s main sources of new subscribers. Indeed, in its latest quarter, Sirius said net subscriber growth slowed markedly, falling to 82,900 from 1.1 million.
Comments
The $64,000 question is: Will Apple allow them to release a music streaming app? Remember that Apple has crushed attempts in the past to make podcast listening apps for the iPhone. I would find it surprising if Apple let them take control of any part of the music experience on the iPhone.
This reeks of the same desperation that comes out of the Adobe Flash camp every few months. If you can’t say “iPhone,” you are yesterday’s tech.
Posted by Rob Menke at March 12th, 2009 at 11:40 amThere are so many ways to receive Sirius/XM content that don’t involve satellite that at some point you start thinking of them in terms of content alone.
I suspect this is dangerous for the future of the company.
Posted by Mac Beach at March 12th, 2009 at 12:39 pm