Sirius XM Needs To Smarten Up In Smart Phones
I already know that the passionate fans of Sirius XM will not appreciate this article, but the fact of the matter is that Sirius XM needs to smarten up in the smart phone arena. If you love this company, you would want them doing their best, not try to make excuses for something that is being executed poorly. Yes, Sirius XM has apps on iPhone, Blackberry and Android, but those apps could be more feature rich, and in some cases, they could be better advertised.
This past Thursday my Motorola Droid broke and essentially became useless to me. A hard reset did not work, and my only option was a new phone. I went into a Verizon store, and saw advertisements for Pandora as well as Slacker, and NOTHING about Sirius XM. When I got to the counter I noticed a page of bar codes that a droid user could scan with their droid to get some of the “coolest apps”. There was Slacker with their very own bar code. No Sirius XM.
My new phone automatically pulled over all of my apps from my account….EXCEPT THE SIRIUS XM app. Why? Because as of this date Sirius XM’s app on Android is STILL NOT IN THE APP MARKETPLACE!
As most readers here know, I follow Sirius XM closely. Here is what I had to go through to download my app.
1. Go to Sirius.com
2. Type android into the search box
3. Enter my email for a “Free 7 Day Trial”
4. Wait for Sirius XM to send the email
5. Open the email, and click the link to download the file.
6. Search the downloads folder on my droid
7. Locate Sirius XM app and press install
How many people unfamiliar with Sirius XM are going to take these steps? How many people that already have an on-line account are going to get “tripped-up” by the “free trial” lingo and simply opt not to do it? How many people are going to take their phone and scan the Slacker logo? Ho many people are going to search the Marketplace for apps, and if Sirius XM is not there, assume it is not available?
The fact of the matter is that Android is 2010’s best selling smart phone line. The Android platform has even dominated Apple this year! Why is it that MONTHS after the launch of the Sirius XM app, it still can not find its way into the app Marketplace where consumers look for the apps that they want? Sirius Xm can have the best content in the world, but if it is poorly marketed it will fall onto deaf ears!
How does a droid user get Pandora?
1. Open up App Marketplace
2. Scroll to Pandora, or type it in the search on the marketplace
3. Press the install button
It has been all over the news that services like Pandora are getting a huge response from the smart phone market. One key reason is that they are in the market place and their sign-up process is simple, understandable, and concise. We all know that smart phones are going to do more and more. I understand that signals drop at times, and I understand that Internet pays higher royalties. Neither of those shortcomings is going to stop people from buying smart phones and trying to explore music on them.
It is unfortunate that Sirius XM seems so behind the curve in this arena. The Sirius XM apps all function as they should, and deliver the audio content. I would like to see more features on the apps, but more importantly, I think they need to get their collective butts into the app store on each service. Another suggestion. Throw out the 7 day trial and make it 30. You have one chance to get the attention of someone. Make the most of it and let them explore the full line-up!
Position – Long Sirius XM Radio
No Howard Stern does not help either. There are also problems with the new firmware release from Verizon [FRG22D] for the Droid… Wake up Sirius!
I agree that improvements can always be made. With the way technology progresses so rapidly it is essential to survive. I am really hoping that this “2.0” coming in the fall will be a game changer and not some weak attempt to throw a new product out there.
Long Sirius
Harry…2.0 is fall of 2011!
the sirius app should be free for smartphones. with so many free music streaming apps (pandora, slacker, last.fm, iheartradio) why would anyone pay for it? do they actually think someone will listen for the week trial and then pony up for a montly subscription? i wouldnt.
and for phones that won’t let you install apps UNLESS theyre in the marketplace, like my htc aria, i cant even get the sirius app from sirius.com. and yes i know about rooting my phone. and no im not going to do it.
http://www.gadgetell.com/tech/.....-the-aria/
“While most Android users rarely if ever have to connect their phones to their computers for much beyond rooting or media transfer, the Aria will require it for third-party apps. The method comes in the form of HTC Sync, a desktop application for Windows. The app comes with a function that allows apps to be installed straight to the phone simply by dragging and dropping the APK file. It may not be as elegant as simply checking a box and downloading the APK onto the phone to install, but it’s better than nothing.”
nope. removed.
http://www.gadgetvenue.com/htc.....-07163750/
The HTC Aria looked like it was going to get the HTC sync app as it appeared on their website recently. However, the app has now been removed which now would prevent non-android market applications from being installed on the device.
When the app first appeared on HTC, people were thinking that AT&T [T] were relaxing the rules a little and letting 3rd party apps be installed on the handsets it offers as a carrier. However, now that the side-loading app has been removed this is not the case.
as I’ve commented for the past several years about SXMs marketing I will keep this marketing short and to the point, yet it summarizes all other marketing comments…
Sirus XM’s marketing team SUCKS!!!!!
I can’t agree more. This has been going on for years. Sirius always behind the 8 ball and playing catch-up. Always said the marketing dept. sucks. I just wonder if there is any intent.
Silly me. I just typed in http://www.sirius.com/android into my phone’s browser and there’s the download link.
yes…silly you….
That web address brings you to the “enter your email for 7 free days” trial. Confusing to a newbie and/or an existing subscriber. You cant simply get to the download link….you have to wait for an email from Sirius XM, then click the link in the email, etc.
Silly you….you want to take 7 or 8 steps to get an app when if was in the marketplace it would be so much more simple.
Complacency, sloth, and laziness is no way to run a service in the world of smart phones. There is no excuse for this…NONE
This may seem like a stupid question, but have you actually tried getting the app by accessing be URL above from your phone’s browser? I know there is a download link for the iphone page. I cannot try this with android.
LOL. Missed the “phone’s browser” part of the original comment. It does provide a download link on the iphone.
Some valid points made here? So what about 2.0 are they just waiting to place this on the smart phones along with Howie????
2.0 is a year away….The company should not wait that long to improve their presence in the world of smart phones.
Let’s suck it up. Mel is not a leader in new technology, he follows it. Sat Radio 2.0 proves that. It will take 12 months to get it, whatever it is, in the cars and maybe into retail for xmas 2012. the article is so correct. but, Mel cant change his strips. he saved the company and we should all be grateful for that.
sirius xm is focused so much on the auto business, they should start looking hard for ways to compete in the smart phone area since its growing faster then the car business market.
Ok Spence . . lets get down to brass tacks (no button-down answers; no hedging and no pushing this article down a slot by whipping-out a new one):
You say:
“If you love this company, you would want them doing their best, not try to make excuses for something that is being executed poorly.”
“Sirius Xm can have the best content in the world, but if it is poorly marketed it will fall onto deaf ears!”
“It is unfortunate that Sirius XM seems so behind the curve in this arena.”
Lets say that I agree with your position; by logical extension of your argument then, someone at Sirius XM should be immediately terminated.
I like the fire & passion of this article, now I challenge you to go one step further, before you put up a new article, and name names of those who should be fired.
Lets go . . enough of the tiptoe through the tulips.
Mel should be looking at himself in the mirror. Again always the last to technology….ex: Slacker, Pandora, etc. He should be ashamed of himself. I believe he is more of a wheeler dealer than a well rounded CEO.
It is not a “tip-toe issue. I do not know what constraints are being placed on the heads of the various departments. Mel is a cost cutter and has exacting demands in terms of cost. This may tie peoples hands.
I am not being evasive here, but I do know that what is happening in the smart phone and Internet Radio area is lacking.
I would say that it is an operations issue. I would say that rather than fire someone, they need to bring in a Chief Technology Officer who has the final say in how the Internet platform and smart phone platform get implemented. This person also needs a budget to take on the task in a manner that at least matches what competitors are doing.
From a marketing standpoint, they need a lot of improvement as well.
Perhaps you could invite someone from Siri marketing to come on SB Radio . . . there are many shareholders who would be interested in hearing from corporate on the issues you have outlined.
I have iphone and downloaded app. same exact way you state the way droid would.So, I have no idea what you are talking about. Your giving false information.
The Sirius XM app is available in itunes. The sirius xm app is not available in the droid market. You need to know a link to it on Sirius XM to even have a prayer of getting it on a droid. There is NOTHING false in what I stated
Maybe they are doing it on purpose…? If the company is too successful liberty won’t be able to buy them for fractions of their real value. It’s a big game and the small will lose.