WiFi to Become a Bigger Player in Satellite Radio
Everywhere you go, you see WiFi. WiFi hot spots have been a computer staple for years, but only recently have consumers begun to see a need for it in other devices. Yes, even satellite radio has incorporated WiFi into devices for quite some time. However, WiFi carries the most importance in gadgets with crossover potential. Such devices include iPods and smart phones.
Free Wifi is no longer limited to a few small coffee shops. Bars, restaurants, hotels, and even airports have begun jumping on the free WiFi band wagon. Here in Orlando, the local McDonalds even offers free WiFi! For consumers this means more access and portability. For satellite radio fans, this means consumers can now have even more access to great music and talk shows in more places. This is especially the case now that the iPnone and iPod Touch application is out.
As a staunch satellite radio fan, I will be the first to admit that my WiFi equipped Stiletto tends to stay in my car. Simply stated, I do not use it much in portable mode, and carrying it around is means that I have another gadget to worry about. Frankly, it can be a pain to carry around. Thus, even if I were to find a WiFi hot spot, I would most likely not have my Stiletto with me. You will however see that my iPod touch and Blackberry are never too far out of reach. The reason is that these devices are multi-functional.
The new iPhone app takes things to a new level. I own an iPod Touch. Because of the multi-functionality of it, it stays with me. My iPod goes from my house to my car, to my office, and back again. If I were an iPhone user, the value of the device would be even greater. A cell phone is a cell phone. It is the apps, that give smart phones the popularity they have. By having an app on iTunes, Sirius XM Radio has taken the step of becoming a part of a device that is so much more for consumers than simply Sirius XM. This is a good thing.
Now consider the new SkyDock and that value is even greater. Consumers will get the best that satellite radio offers as well as the great content of the Sirius XM Internet radio service. Suddenly your device is your iPod, your phone, and your satellite radio. We all know that there are plenty of iPhones sold. The other key is the WiFi capable iPod Touches. WiFi has become a major factor. Most people have WiFi in their home and many have it in their office. Now we are seeing it pop up in many other places. This means that consumers with equipment that receives WiFi will have even more chances to put their WiFi capable devices to use.
It was only a couple of years ago that getting WiFi at anyplace other than Starbucks was a virtual impossibility. Everyone loved WiFi, but it had simply not been rolled out to a degree that was meaningful. Now, smaller devices are WiFi capable, and businesses everywhere see the value in allowing the ever busy consumer to access to the information they seek.
WiFi will continue to spread, and multi-function devices that are capable of utilizing it will gain popularity. A cell phone is now a consumer staple. Satellite radio is not. Getting satellite radio onto cell phones is the key to growth in the retail channel in satellite radio. Mel Karmazin has already announced that the company wants to move in this direction. Watch for the growth of Sirius XM Internet radio to become a key component going forward.
The iPhone App is complete. Next are devices such as Palm’s Pre, and the Google Phone. Stay Tuned.
Spencer Osborne has stock in Sirius XM Radio
Are you serious?
You have a terminal case of wishful thinking.
You will be one of a handful of people who will waste their money on a SkyDock or the Sirius iPhone App.
An 8-GB iPod Touch and Pocket Tunes is FAR more useful than either and CHEAPER to boot!
The SkyDock is an XM only product, flimsy and poorly designed.
The Stiletto costs EXTRA to use the WiFI functionality as Sirius charges for Internet streaming required to make the Stiletto a USEABLE product.
The Sirius iPhone app is incomplete and worthless since it does NOT include all the channels available on the internet stream.
Sirius-XM is a poorly managed company who railed about the importance of a merger and ‘synergy’ but then does absolutely NOTHING to actually unite the two SatRad feeds.
Sirius and XM operate as complete separate companies, to the detriment of the consumer.
All these articles of yours are pie in the sky wishful thinking.
Sirius-XM has already proven it can’t gets out of its own way.
You forgot to say Mel should be fired boo boo. 🙂
Bob,
Let’s review the evidence.
The stock is dropping today and is currently at 64 cents.
Sirius-XM continues to LOSE subscribers and Q3 will be worse than ever.
Sirius-XM will be forced to execute the previously approved reverse split in a feeble attempt to avoid NASDAQ delisting.
Sirius and XM continue to operate as separate companies despite all the BS about the merger and the buzzword that ‘Synergy’ that “Tyler” loved to use .
Sirius has not produced a single new and unified piece of hardware in 2009.
The products introduced are more of the same old bland, unreliable junk that they have been producing for years.
They produce an iPhone app that doesn’t include , at the very least, all the channels available on the internet stream.
They have raised prices several times, in the middle of a very bad recession.
Now please tell me how smart you and “Tyler” are in your assessment of Sirius.
You are both so full of it your eyes are brown.
The fact is the company has refinaced their debt and are making forward moves daily. It doesn’t happen over night boo boo. Weren’t you predicting $.35 a month or so ago? It never got there did it. The reverse split and de-listing won’t happen. At least not anytime in the “near” future. You can’t see the progress because you have blinders on. I don’t think any of that you label “cheerleaders” think this will happen overnight but that’s the nature of the stock market. Maybe you thought you could get in on Sirius at $2.00 and lost your ass selling off in a panic. That would account for a lot of your bitterness.
Hey bobo,
61 cents and dropping.
35 cents is right around the corner.
The delisting will happen with or without the reverse split.
Believe what you want.
You’re a legend in your own mind.
you are a dumbass….that’s about all i can say at this point.
By the way….do you get all your catch phrases from Clint Eastwood boo boo? 🙂
59 cents and dropping and I’m the dumb-ass?
Yep, you’re Wile E. Coyote, Super Genius.
You == Sirius Nuthugger & loser
“The Stiletto costs EXTRA to use the WiFI functionality as Sirius charges for Internet streaming required to make the Stiletto a USEABLE product.”
It might just be me but the wi-fi on my S-100 works fine, I do not pay for streaming and I do not have the access to the online listing for a while now, but the S-100 still will work on wi-fi. I do not think that it cost extra as you said to use that function of the Stiletto.
Wrong.
Your subscription will have a new charge for internet access once it renews.
None of the Stilettos are usable without WiFi and then they charge extra for it to boot.
“Wrong”
OK, just saying. And I re-uped for another year on 7-27-09. But what ever you say must be right.
“None of the Stilettos are usable without WiFi and then they charge extra for it to boot.”
Im guessing you just phrased that wrong? The Stilettos WILL work fine without using WiFi
A Stiletto without WI-FI is virtually useless as it really can’t be used as a portable SatRad receiver.
It is impossible to get reception in any building using the Stiletto, a fact that Sirius does NOT let advertise with the product.
If you have to hook up an external antenna to get reception it defeats the purpose of using it as a portable receiver.
Did boo boo have to much coffee today?
I’m an iPhone owner and long time XM subscriber. I quickly dumped my Pioneer Inno subscription and switched to the internet subscription for the Iphone app. Like you said, the iphone stays with me all the time.
But I rarely use true WiFi for my internet connection. At home, perhaps. But the internet feed I get through AT&T is just fine for streaming music from Sirius/XM. Oh, and Pandora too. The distinction between cellular based internet connections and wifi is gradually shrinking and will probably be irrelevant in a few years. Some kind of internet access will be available, even for cars. Of course this means that the satellite medium may become irrelevent too, though when is anyone’s guess. I think we’ve still got a few years where the satellite signal will be primary for cars. But the ubiquitousness of roaming internet access is ever growing.
I see no advantage to the skydock over having an ordinary plug and play radio in your car. You need an individual account for both so there’s no cost savings.
The disadvantageas are the the Skydock itself is it is not modular and can not be moved from car to car as easily. The biggest disadvantage, I would think, of the Skydock is it doesn’t automatically start when you turn your car on. When I turn on my car my Starmate 4 powers up on the last station I listened too.
In my car, the Iphone stays in my pocket and my Stiletto stays at home in a Soloist.
Interesting how people use their Stiletto.
I’m one who likes to go to woods, mountains, or valleys to get away. I have a Stiletto for the primary purpose of keeping me in touch with the stock market on a live basis.
That has given me the opportunity to make some money, and on one occasion, save me a lot of money.
I am a frequent “Cruiser” and the Stiletto usually comes with me. Laying in a lounge chair up on deck, I can listen to music and news. While Wifi is usually available on the ship it is slow and expensive. My strategy tends to be Stiletto up top and Slacker Portable in the cabin.
I have a plug-and-play radio and I have an iphone. I will for sure purchase the sky doc. When its comes to an iphone, its not a matter of cost savings. These are luxary items. If I can hook my iphone into a car holder, charger and it turn replace my plug and play radio it sounds like a win.
What Alias are you going to use next time. You have lost all credibility as a website. Honesty is not part of your equasion, and censorship is rampant on your site.
1. That is his real name.
2. Most people who write online use pen names.
3. What is being censored on this website? Because if it is going on, I dont know about it.
Nice article. I agree that the future of SiriusXM is definitely in WiFi/Internet distribution concentrated in mobile devices. I’ve had the iPhone application since it was released, and it has surprised me just how quickly it has become the primary way I listen to SiriusXM.