# Sirius XM Radio planning to stream to iPhone, iPod - maybe bundle with DirecTV



## say-what

http://tech.yahoo.com/news/ap/20090312/ap_on_hi_te/tec_sirius_iphone

Financially struggling Sirius XM Radio Inc. is planning to stream its subscription radio service to the iPhone and iPod Touch devices from Apple Inc. beginning this spring.

By streaming its music, sports and talk channels to users of the iPhone and iPod Touch, Sirius can give its existing subscribers another way to access content and let new customers sign up without buying new radios, CEO Mel Karmazin said.

Sirius also sees opportunities to bundle its satellite radio service with TV packages from DirecTV Group Inc. DirecTV's controlling shareholder is Liberty Media Corp., which rescued Sirius from a debt bind last month with a $530 million investment. Karmazin said he has met with DirecTV CEO Chase Carey and Liberty CEO Greg Maffei over the past few days.


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## Koz

This sounds cool. Since moving recently, I have a very short commute and haven't been giving my XM a very good workout. This would give me another way to get my money's worth.


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## Chris Blount

This is great! I've been wanting to get rid of a few of my radios.


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## tcusta00

With free apps like Pandora and Slacker I don't think this will be selling many new subs. Or keeping existing ones. But nonetheless it's probably a necessary step for them.


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## Richard King

> With free apps like Pandora and Slacker I don't think this will be selling many new subs. Or keeping existing ones.


Agree. As mentioned in another thread, I've been playing with Slacker for a few days and love it (when it works). My radio is going in today for a swap (locks up). When I get the replacement I'll be able to judge the product better, but it certainly looks like an XM replacement on the music side. People are even creating their own "stations" that do a good job of copying XM stations. One of the great things with Slacker is that you can create a station and share it with all other users and even load it into your player. I've been listening (on line since my player broke) to a station called "B3 with a Leslie" created by a user that I have been really enjoying. Nothing like a good B3 jazz player.


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## Garyunc

If I can get the sports channels then I may sign up. I got XM mainly for the sports anyway.


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## tcusta00

Richard King said:


> Agree. As mentioned in another thread, I've been playing with Slacker for a few days and love it (when it works). My radio is going in today for a swap (locks up). When I get the replacement I'll be able to judge the product better, but it certainly looks like an XM replacement on the music side. People are even creating their own "stations" that do a good job of copying XM stations. One of the great things with Slacker is that you can create a station and share it with all other users and even load it into your player. I've been listening (on line since my player broke) to a station called "B3 with a Leslie" created by a user that I have been really enjoying. Nothing like a good B3 jazz player.


About to reply in your "Slacker" thread...


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## sorahl

as I said on a different site this doesn't mean much to me in what will probably be a crippled subset of the full XM channel list. I am not 'typical' in that I listen primarily to channel 164 - Radio Classics and that is not one of the channels they have provided to the XM Online service. I recognize this is not the typical for the xm subscriber so if this does help them great but it won't help me.


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## Italia

Wait...does this mean I'll be able to listen to Stern on my iPod?


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## Retro

I already have an XM subscription and IPhone, so this is good for me, especially if the channel selection is not limited.. 

Sirius's losses have been declining, so as the merger has settled in they are on the path to profits near the end of the year. I think for a while there new people held off buying satellite radio to see how the merger would pan out.. Probably the same with car makers/dealers.. Still, a good cheap stock to buy because i could see another major media company buying them if they profits don't increase as expected..


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## SteveHas

I look forward to this
the value isn't just getting music out of my iPhone
its an iPod for goodness sake
but being able to get Sirius on my phone would be great
how much more will the service cost though


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## Reaper

I'm an XM subscriber with an iPhone so I think that this is great, especially if I can listen to the MLB games on my iPhone!


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## rbgator95

What makes this "cool" is if AK/HI subs can use their iphones and finally have Sirius in their cars. Of course that depends on if the 3G and cellular networks can support the app. Been holding off on iphone since I've heard iheartradio and AOLRadio don't work too well outside of Wi-Fi...


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## j2fast

I've seen several folks in different places predict this is basically not be worth anything because of the existence on things like Slacker and Pandora. My I'm in the minority but when I'm listening to Sirius its as much for things like ESPN Radio, live ESPN TV broadcasts (PTI, Sports Center,etc), some news and the like as it is music. These internet radio services while cool do nothing for me really because music isn't my main draw. Personally I think getting Sirius through the iPhone,etc will be very cool.


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## nvwhite

Sirius already streams many channels including Stern on the net there is 3rd party software that is better than the Sirius web streamer. One company is activly working on an iPhone version. I wonder what this announcement does to these 3rd party apps?


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## Dolly

I just hope it helps Sirius XM. I have no interest in an iPhone or iPod.


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## MikeW

You can count on this service being over-priced. Look at the players involved...Apple, AT&T and Mel. When I got my first Windows Mobile device, it had an XM player that required a $7.99/month fee regardless of your sub status with XM. Also wondering how using this service may work against your 5 GB cap?

I'm so discouraged by the bland sound of XM/Sirius and the extreme pricing of AT&T.  Sometimes I feel like just dropping all of these services. My cell phone bill, with 4 phones, is $225/month.

If your looking for this package to include MLB...you won't have to wait long...it is not included. MLB wants $4.99/month for MLB Mobile.


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## Richard King

tcusta00 said:


> About to reply in your "Slacker" thread...


Replied to your reply in the "Slacker" thread.


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## Steve Mehs

There was StarPlayr, I was following the development of the app for a few weeks but it was offically pronounced dead a few days ago then Sirius XM comes out with this announcement. And it looks like it won't even be released for jailbroken phones. 

http://www.modmyi.com/forums/iphone-news/520261-goodbye-starplayr.html

I'm really curious if it will be wifi only, or if it will work with 3G or Edge as well. Or maybe a lower bitrate option will be offered so you can listen over AT&Ts network. Not sure if I would sign up for internet streaming for this or not. I never really used it, most of the time I used it on my PDA using XStreamXM or SiriusCE. It was great however falling asleep to XM a few years ago when I was in Philly. I used my Pocket PC to stream XM Radio Online and plugged in the earbuds from my iPod.



> When I got my first Windows Mobile device, it had an XM player that required a $7.99/month fee regardless of your sub status with XM. Also wondering how using this service may work against your 5 GB cap?
> 
> I'm so discouraged by the bland sound of XM/Sirius and the extreme pricing of AT&T. Sometimes I feel like just dropping all of these services. My cell phone bill, with 4 phones, is $225/month.


What did you use to stream XM on Windows Mobile? And was this a PDA or Smartphone? If PDA, while there were third party ways to do it, XM never had an official way to stream on Windows Mobile, unless it was integrated in Windows Media Player for WM6, I know that wasn't the case with Windows 2003 or Windows 5. So I'm curious as to what came stock with the Windows Mobile device to allow you to do this. If Smartphone, XM had agreements with a handful of providers, Alltel was one and maybe Sprint was another, this was a service that was provided through your cell phone provider and you paid them for it, you weren't paying XM directly, and I believe the channel selection was very limited. Would have been better to use the cell phone providers data access and stream with a third party site for free provided you had an XM account.

With taxes I'll be paying about $100/month for AT&T Wireless for my iPhone, just got it Saturday, so I'm not sure exactly how much it will cost, and thats just 1 phone on the basic 450 minute plan, so $225 for 4 phones sounds reasonable. I do agree though, depending on what you want AT&T is a rip. If it wasn't for the iPhone I would have never considered them, in fact I'm still keeping my Nextel account, which is about $100 as well, but for two phones. My iPhone will very rarley be used as a phone.

And on a side note, before people get all excited about streaming on an iPod, make sure you have an iPod Touch.


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## max1

I would subscribe to Sirius Xm-if they made the rest of the channels on Direct tv. I can't get Sirius for the home because I can only use the radio in one room and we always had signal issues.. I would have to see what they would add first. Like i say if they can make it more like Fm where you can use it anywhere in the house then i would have sirius- I have a really great c.crane radio so i can get stations as far 200 miles away. Max.


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## inourgrave

Reaper said:


> I'm an XM subscriber with an iPhone so I think that this is great, especially if I can listen to the MLB games on my iPhone!


There is an app for MLB, and it will have gameday audio...release date is 1apr09


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## dvdnut59

A friend has XM in his GMC truck.Can he buy the song he likes?Put it on Ipod?Even if it is not free? Thanks


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## Steve Mehs

Why couldn't he? You can't do it on demand, but he can listen to XM, then download the song on iTunes when he gets home or is in a wifi hot spot with his iPhone or iPod Touch. This is for internet radio streaming, not receiving XM via the satellites. And I'm sure there will be some kind of tie in with the Sirius XM app that allow you to purchase a song currently playing with one touch from the iTMS. XM and the iPhone/iPod Touch will not be integrated, all that is going on is listening to XM's Online Service via an internet connection, just like you can do at home, or do with Pandora on an iPhone currently.


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## jpk

_. . . access content . . ._

Say what?

I think this means "listen to music" or "listen to the radio" or "listen to audio" or "listen to XM Radio".

Yours for correct use of "content",

-- Jon


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## MikeW

Steve...you are correct, there are third party apps that I could, and did, use. I'm just saying that, out of the box, if I wasn't saavy enough to figure out that third party apps existed, AT&T wanted $7.99/month for their watered down version of XM online. This is why I wouldn't get too excited about an IPOD/IPhone app.


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## Steve Mehs

MikeW said:


> Steve...you are correct, there are third party apps that I could, and did, use. I'm just saying that, out of the box, if I wasn't saavy enough to figure out that third party apps existed, AT&T wanted $7.99/month for their watered down version of XM online. This is why I wouldn't get too excited about an IPOD/IPhone app.


But that was a service offered through AT&T not XM, this will be just like listening to XMRO through your computer or using third party apps on a WM device, all channels XM offers on XMRO should be available through the iPhone app. It won't be the full XM line up that you get from the satellites since there's rights issues with the sports and talk content, but all the music channels will be offered along with some talk. XM via cell phone was implemented pretty lame I agree.


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## KemoSabee

The idea is to enable you Iphone/Ipod touch to use it's internet capabilities to access the online portion of your XM/Sirius online lineup. Meaning, At&t would not be charging for an additional service, you're already paying for data if you have an iphone, it's up to you how you use, and for what. Think about it this way, why would there be mention of ipod touch if it was an additional service charge. There isn't, and with Sirius XM now charging for online streaming is only further proof that they're trying to explore new avenues, cause stand alone players/car sales has stalled, time to explore new avenues on untapped markets. They even stated this in there quarterly report. I gotta feeling they won't stop with iphone/ipod touch app. 

What is becoming more and more clear, is the evolution of the advanced mobile market being less carrier serviced applications, and more applications being provided by the actual distributors. The iphone just has a leg up at the moment with being one of the most popular devices. And it helps that it's new and doesn't have any type of carrier based service applications, which I think will hinder the distribution across to other advanced mobile devices.


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## Steve Mehs

> Also wondering how using this service may work against your 5 GB cap?


Mike, I don't think the iPhone has a cap. Here's a screenshot of my Account Info. Looks like Unlimited Data.


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## cforrest

Steve Mehs said:


> Mike, I don't think the iPhone has a cap. Here's a screenshot of my Account Info. Looks like Unlimited Data.


AT&T data plans are allotted 5GB, regardless of phone! Go over that 5GB and you are looking at big overage charges!


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## Steve Mehs

Then why would it be listed as Unlimited, if it in fact isn't.


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## bobstong

I'd like some feedback to make certain I have this straight. In their original FCC applications, XM and Sirius both agreed not to merge. When they got into financial trouble, they crawled back to the FCC, begging for merger approval, and in return promised not to raise prices due to their new monopoly situation. Are these facts correct?

In February, XM Sirius notified me that I would lose online listening privileges unless I extended my subscription by March 11. This notice occurred in the middle of our existing contract term, and their new subscription rates are significantly higher than my existing rates. (Read this, FCC!) I declined and requested a refund based on their change in terms to my contract. I can still listen to DirecTV's XM channels at home, or record them for listening in my vehicles. It's no big deal.

For web access, why not just listen to XM channels on a PC using a Slingbox connected to your home DirecTV receiver? Last January at MacWorld, Slingbox Media announced and demonstrated new iphone software compatibility for Slingbox HD. Wouldn't this arrangement provide the same functionality for iphone? Of course, this assumes that the XM Sirius channels you want are already delivered by DirecTV. 

Content providers deserve to receive compensation in the form of a paid subscription from each listener. But should listeners pay two or three times for the same content delivered on multiple media? I will cheerfully pay once for all the content I can consume, then record or stream that single channel to the media of choice, perhaps using Slingbox in the future. I will appreciate your comments on this issue. Thanks! Bob


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## Steve Mehs

> I'd like some feedback to make certain I have this straight. In their original FCC applications, XM and Sirius both agreed not to merge. When they got into financial trouble, they crawled back to the FCC, begging for merger approval, and in return promised not to raise prices due to their new monopoly situation. Are these facts correct?


Yes that is correct. Just to start things off, I was against the merger from day 1, I still am, and I am completely unsatisfied with what it's turned in to, that said, Sirius XM is really doing nothing wrong here. There was nothing in the FCC ruling that stated the price of additional receivers couldn't increase or that online listening couldn't be made a premium. This is an indirect price increase in essence and does not violate the FCC ruling. They skirted about wording, which is what any company that wants to make money does. If you have 1 subscription and don't utilized internet streaming you won't see on increase.



> For web access, why not just listen to XM channels on a PC using a Slingbox connected to your home DirecTV receiver? Last January at MacWorld, Slingbox Media announced and demonstrated new iphone software compatibility for Slingbox HD. Wouldn't this arrangement provide the same functionality for iphone? Of course, this assumes that the XM Sirius channels you want are already delivered by DirecTV.


I suppose that could work, but not all of the 20 million Sirius XM subscribers have DirecTV.


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## dpd146

Steve Mehs said:


> Then why would it be listed as Unlimited, if it in fact isn't.


Marketing. Sounds better to simply say unlimited. Your bandwidth is unlimited, they just may charge you if you go over 5GB.

Just a guess


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## Steve Mehs

What would marketing have to do with it? This is from my personal account status page, I'm already a customer, marketings job ended the moment I stepped into the AT&T Store. Under my alloted minutes column it says 450, not unlimited. Under the Included column for data it should say 5,120 MB, not Unlimited, if there is a 5GB usage cap data.


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## cforrest

There is no usage cap, you'll get hit with overage charges if you go over 5 GB of usage in your monthly billing cycle. It is pure marketing as stated. T-mobile just upped their unlimited to include 10GB of usage before they hit you with overage charges. The small print clearly states how much data is included with the unlimited plan.


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## ccmilesd

Pretty sad when AT&T is secretly capping data w/out notifying customers 

AND

XM/Sirius ask Apple not to allow StarPlayer to develop an iPhone App (yet have failed so far at developing their own).


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## SatPilot

you can use the app Pocket Tunes ($10) to stream Sirius/XM. Sounds great on 3G network and crappy on the edge network.

You have to have signed up for the $2.99/mo internet streaming service in order to receive this.

http://www.normsoft.com/products/iphone/pockettunes/


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