We heard that Slacker was showing off their mobile radio app for Google Android a few weeks ago, and now it's officially official - Slacker Radio is available for Android smartphones (including the Motorola DROID pictured above).
And while I'm happy for Slacker to keeping up with Pandora in entering the Android Market, this announcement irritates me because it just reminds me of how much Sirius XM are missing key opportunities.
Before I continue with my criticism of Sirius XM, let's just continue with the new Slacker Radio mobile app description. It's a free app, and available now from the Android Market. The Slacker app has been optimized for the new DROID by Motorola, DROID ERIS by HTC and the HTC G1 and HTC MyTouch Android handsets.
If you want to see photos of the Slacker app in use on Android, Zatz Not Funny has hands-on pics.
Now here's where I get annoyed.
Sirius XM have the opportunity to enter a burgeoning mobile platform like Android, and I bet it'll be at least a year before we see anything. At least.
We still don't have a decent BlackBerry app (the crippled XM app should have been expanded ages ago). There's nothing for the Palm Pre. And while I'm happy there's finally iPhone integration with the XM SkyDock and the Sirius XM iPhone app - consider the fact that Pandora was one of the first 500 apps introduced with the iPhone App Store. And now there's the Android Market - with both Slacker and Pandora already establishing loyal followings - and Sirius XM are sitting idle.
Missed opportunities? You bet.
Here's the big thing about the Android Market: there's no pesky approval process like the iTunes App Store. Remember, this is a market (as in "open" and "free") as opposed to a store (closed and restricted). Plus it's the rare opportunity to get in front of early adopters again.
But Sirius XM seem to be stuck in this "mass market" mentality. The early adopters used to be a priority, but not anymore. It seems that unless a market is mature - they won't even consider entering it.
And at that point, it's too late.
If you want to see photos of the Slacker app in use on Android, Zatz Not Funny has hands-on pics.
Now here's where I get annoyed.
Sirius XM have the opportunity to enter a burgeoning mobile platform like Android, and I bet it'll be at least a year before we see anything. At least.
We still don't have a decent BlackBerry app (the crippled XM app should have been expanded ages ago). There's nothing for the Palm Pre. And while I'm happy there's finally iPhone integration with the XM SkyDock and the Sirius XM iPhone app - consider the fact that Pandora was one of the first 500 apps introduced with the iPhone App Store. And now there's the Android Market - with both Slacker and Pandora already establishing loyal followings - and Sirius XM are sitting idle.
Missed opportunities? You bet.
Here's the big thing about the Android Market: there's no pesky approval process like the iTunes App Store. Remember, this is a market (as in "open" and "free") as opposed to a store (closed and restricted). Plus it's the rare opportunity to get in front of early adopters again.
But Sirius XM seem to be stuck in this "mass market" mentality. The early adopters used to be a priority, but not anymore. It seems that unless a market is mature - they won't even consider entering it.
And at that point, it's too late.
and yet us windows mobile users are still waiting.
So is Pandora. Free of charge. SiriusXM=failures with their own product. Technology is blowing past satellite radio. Once Google Flash is available, we should be able to steam right from Sirius dot com. It is coming.
http://www.beussery.com/blog/index.php/2008/10/google-flash-seo/
Btw. the new Moto Droid is awesome.
It is the same mass market mentality that rules the playlists now. Sirius need not worry about competition because they are doing a fine job of killing themselves.
There are pretty good solutions for Windows Mobile users to listen to Sirius XM. 2 apps to be exact.
Ryan - While I agree that is good to enter these other cellphone opportunities, I totally disagree that it will be too late when it is mass market appeal.
Sirius XM entered the iPhone app market much later than most, and got a million downloads with a few days even without Howard on the app. I doubt that entering a year from now will be too late.
They certainly take their sweet time but with their content they will have no problem getting their apps downloaded by millions.
Yeah, I'm sure all 10 people that have that phone are really upset. How about working the bugs out of the iPhone app first then port it to another phone.
Ryan, I am surprised you never posted or mentioned in the article that Slacker is no longer producing devices, just playing through phones/computers. It was on engadget.
I dont computer program but I have to imagine it cant be that hard to modify an iphone app to work on android. Sorry in advance if that couldnt be further from the truth.
Yeah, one million downloads, and then it disappeared. All the people who have satellite radio downloaded it, then no one else. Even the Clear Channel app is beating it. (It's beating Slacker, too, for the record).
I would very much like sirius to have something for droid users to pick up...especially because I own a droid and would enjoy the option of sirius on it.
who knows...someone above mentioned that the driod will allow streaming through the browser so the whole point may be moot.
JonE - It did not disappear. It has remained #4 on the free music download list for quite some time now. You have to remember services like Pandora are mostly free, and although Sirius' download is free, it costs $2.99 a month for subs to have premium internet and keep listening after the 7 day trial. That's the business model for the app, and I believe a very smart one.
http://appshopper.com/bestsellers/music/free
Is it really all that surprising that SiriusXM hasn't entered the Android market? They could do a lot more to boost subscribers by getting into these kinds of markets, but I guess they only care about burning money. I love my Sirius in my car but it doesn't mean that I won't criticize how they do business either.
Does this version of slacker provide caching of stations? As a Blackberry user I know this is the number 1 reason I use slacker on my phone over any other program.
As for Sirius/XM, Ryan is right. We're creatures of habit. My XM sub went from 3 units and an online sub to 1 unit in the in-laws car and an online sub. Then I dropped the online sub as I grew accustomed to listening to Slacker on my phone. Now, Slacker goes everywhere with me and listening to XM is more of a hassle than anything.
Had XM produced an easy to use app for the blackberry that played nicely with my existing account then I probably never would have dropped my online sub.
Everything is becoming more easily accessible to users and most of the time, for free. When you make it harder and still cost more you scare off users.
I've been using this app and it still seems a bit buggy. Hero users have also had some issues. Hope they get the app updated and as good as the iPhone version.
I don't think 'porting' apps is even possible... it would be easier to re-write from the ground up. Slacker said that they decided to focus on the content over the hardware, since in the long run, they can gain a much larger marketshare, with less expense for support and warranties and the like, by piggybacking on the device you already own instead of making another one.
When does sirixm start to develop new devices for their own service? I dont understand why anyone would want a radio service on a cell phone, songs and certain apps, sure, but radio? If I'm going to listen to something via my phone it better be exactly what I want to hear, sirixm is radio, radio is hit or miss depending on your tastes, not to mention they have djs on sirixm. How many people really rely on this phone shit anyways, out of the 18.5 million subs, how many people signed up the iPhone app? 1 or 2 million, big fuckin deal, if I were in charge I would forget about apps and worry about my own product. Slacker, iTunes, Pandora or even Zune on a phone makes way more sense.
The why are they selling them? And why the portable they sell can cache channels, and also the Blackberry Storm, but no other portable.
https://store.slacker.com/store/Portables.do
You're right - they need some hardware that people will want to have - so good that they want it even if they have an i-phone. I never see anybody looking at the radios in Best Buy. NEVER!
I see no advertising in this Slacker phone photo? How can they stream copyrighted music for FREE with NO ADs???
For the life of me, I cannot see how these "advertising" models collect a nickel in advertising? People wouldn't put up with waiting for ADs on these devices or anywhere else!
Sirius should be blowing their doors off !!!!
Some one explain why AD companies spend money with Slacker ??? Pandora ???? Who the hell watches the ADs ???
Slacker is what you want to hear though , you cannot customize SiriusFm . And millions of people stream radio on their phones .
And I would choose S-XM over Slacker ... why? For the narrow, limited playlists, the ear-punishing compression, the complete lack of customization, the Karmazinian terrestrial-radio mentality? I put up with satrad in the car because I don't have the ability to stream internet radio in the car, not because I like paying cable-tv like rates for my 3 satrads.
Yes, there are ads that pop up on occasion. Both on the app and on the widget. They do not stay there the whole time though which is nice.
At this point I have Slacker, Pandora, Last.FM, and I am able to stream "certain" Sirius stations over my Droid.
NO antenna, No sub, No problem. AND @ 128kB/s in either wi-fi or 3G mode. I walked everywhere in my home, drove to the store and shopped and never had a drop out. Sirius had better:
A- Clamp down on their intellectual property being stolen and broadcast over the net. (easier said than done)
B- Provide access over the internet to ANY and all carriers via an App store... No wonder no-one is signing up, you don't have to. In less than twenty minutes I found 5 channels available for streaming and at various bit-rates.
C- I don't think Sirius needs to be in the hardware business. They need to be in the CONTENT-provider business... (Everywhere).
Anymore, the only time I am using Sirius in satellite mode is in my car.
I bet Slacker will be getting out from under the hardware exclusivity and this Droid and Iphone will get a Slacker app that caches channels. When that happens, SXM will be toast.