Sirius XM Drops Ball On Android App
It seems that Sirius XM simply can not get up to speed on the Android platform. Last month the Android 2.2 platform known as “Froyo” began making its way to consumers. The update make droid phones faster and gives some cool upgrades like allowing flash based videos to be watched, and numerous additional voice commands. These are all new services that Android users have been awaiting with great anticipation. Unfortunately, if you are a Sirius XM subscriber you will find yourself without a properly working app.
Weeks after the Froyo roll-out Sirius XM has still not modified their Android app to work properly. Thus, not only are they not in the Android marketplace, they are failing consumers who are buying 2010’s most popular smart phone platform! What does it take for Sirius XM to get something right in the smart phone arena? How long do users who paid to have the app have to wait? Imagine if you subscribed to Sirius XM and your smart phone was your predominant method of listening? That is exactly what many people in New York City do. They listen through their smart phone, because many in New York City do not drive in the city. They take the subway or Taxi’s. Being headquartered in new York, you would think Sirius XM would realize this.
I realize that the app developer gets a pretty penny to update the app. I also realize that the terms of the app deals with their writers may not be the best, but screwing over customers is something that simply should not be done. If it takes the app developer a month to an update, Sirius XM should break the deal, whatever the cost may be. If the fault rests with Sirius XM because they are being cheap, then someone there should really look at what is happening in the world of Internet radio and cell phones. Either Sirius XM needs to get with it, or they need to grab the intestinal fortitude to Rid themselves of those that are doing the updates.
All of this is happening in the midst of the Howard Stern negotiations. It could not come at a worse time. Stern is hinting toward moving to an app based platform. If Sirius XM can’t get the Android app right, can you imagine the negotiating power it gives to Sirius competitors for Stern’s services?
The Sirius XM website promises to send an email when the app is ready. This is outlandish! Just get it done. It is code. The revisions can not be that complex! Slacker made the transition flawlessly. Pandora did as well. Seems they have figured out how to make an app. They also figured out the value of getting into the Android Marketplace. Sirius XM….get on the stick!
I’m not sure what you’re talking about. The Sirius XM app works fine on Froyo ROM Cyanogen mod 6.
Many channels are looping the content. Listen for a half an hour and you will see what is happening. The company has stated that they are aware of the issue and have been working to fix it. If you enter your email address they will notify you when their fix is complete.
Loops on stock Droid running froyo. Unusable. Unacceptable given that I pay extra for the ability to stream to my Droid. I don’t understand the holdup. Siriusxm should automatically credit my account for the time it’s taking for this update. Too bad siriusxm can’t get their act together. I’m also still waiting for them to allow me to have both Sirius and XM accounts with a multi-radio discount.
Spencer,
This was a very good article and it points out the POOR management at Sirius-XM.
All your points are completely valid.
However, you can’t honestly believe that they will ever get it right?
Sirius can’t make a Sat Rad receiver that isn’t pure junk.
They should have been sued for the POS that is the Stiletto.
What makes you think that they will ever get their mobile applications properly coded?
They have had more than 5 years to develop a decent web based player and have failed miserably at that.
Their are several free applications, developed by people who code as a hobby, that far outperform anything Sirius has developed.
They went out of their way to kill an iPhone App that was head and shoulders above anything they have produced.
Don’t hold your breath expecting this to change for mobile apps.
Sirius-XM is a company that has proven it can’t get out of its own way.
The auto market is depressed and it will stay that way for several years.
By the time that changes, Sirius-XM will be a footnote in radio history.
Well Spence . . . are you ready to fire someone yet? (lol)
Come’on, lets call somebody out . . .
just download music dock its free and does best of and album art.
I agree, they are incapable of getting out of their own way.
This company will be toast soon as the rapid advancement of smart phones and internet in cars blows right by them as they stand still in the head lights.
I wouldn’t waste a dime on the outdated service of sat radio given all the free alternatives.
Am I the only one with problems with this SiriusXM app? Seems like when you launch the app and pick a catagorie (such as talk radio)it’s not the live stream. For instance it seems to be a re-broadcast of an earlier program. Weird. Then when I’m listening to it it stops right in the middle of the broadcast and rewinds to an earlier segment in the show and starts from there, OVER and OVER and OVER………………Very strange. When I had an Iphone I never had this probelm. The droid seems to be just a mixed up mess……..
I’d also like to know why Sirius will not release their app to the Android Market? If you want the app, you must download it from teh Sirius site. Seems pretty shifty to me. I could be wrong, but I suspect it’s because they do not want to reveal the permissions they would require. I’ve not installed apps that do not come from the Android Market, do these apps still warn/prompt you about the accesses the app will be allowed to use?
This app is just frustrating. I’m on the mt4g and sirius xm us just not dependable. It won’t work at 3g speeds and sometimes even fails when I have a full connection on tmos high speed network. To make it even worse, it still stops on wi-fi. Mt friends says three same thing happens on his evo.
If this happens with 2 if the top android phones, something is erring with the app.
If this were my only way if using sirius I would cancel my subscription.