Sirius XM Releases iPhone SkyDock
Sirius XM came out today with a new hardware line-up that takes their retail efforts to a new level, while at the same time bulking up their Internet Radio service. The new hardware and accessories have been highly anticipated because they enable iPhones and the iPod Touch to become satellite radios, thus offering a dual capability.
For consumers the release of these accessories will allow users to maximize their programming experience through one device. Instead of carrying around a phine, as well as a portable satellite receiver, users can find virtually all of their media in one place.
For investors, the news is also bright. Accessories such as those released today will boost the Internet radio subscriptions, which are priced at about $12.95 per month for Internet Radio only, or an additional $3.00 per month for existing satellite radio subscribers. “Best Of” packages should also see a boost, as listeners will want to have the ability to get Howard Stern, Baseball and football all on one platform . In addition, the company is not having to invest into more expesive receivers, because the interface is software based, and sirius XM does not bear the costs of manufacturing iPhones. This move will help the bottom line of the company.
SIRIUS XM Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI) today introduced XM SkyDock, the first satellite radio controlled by an iPod touch or iPhone. The XM SkyDock is also one of the first products to take advantage of the new hardware control capabilities of iPhone OS 3.0.
Designed for easy use through the existing vehicle audio system, SkyDock has a built-in XM tuner controlled by a free App that users download from the App Store. The App allows control of the XM tuner using the capabilities of the iPod touch or iPhone Multi-Touch user interface. SkyDock will also charge iPod touch and iPhone devices while listening to live satellite radio.
“XM SkyDock will allow millions of users to add live SIRIUS XM Radio capability to their iPod touch or iPhone while in their vehicle,” said Bob Law, Group Vice President and General Manager, After Market Division, SIRIUS XM Radio. “XM SkyDock makes their favorite programming from XM and ‘The Best of SIRIUS’ available to iPod touch and iPhone users anywhere they drive, coast to coast.”
Listeners can use their iPod touch and iPhone to listen to all their favorite sports, talk, news, entertainment and commercial-free music programming, including Oprah Radio, MLB Home Plate, the PGA TOUR Network, Opie & Anthony, Bob Edwards, Jamie Foxx and Blue Collar Comedy. For the first time, subscribers can also listen to the complete “Best of SIRIUS” package, including Howard Stern and his two 24/7 channels, Martha Stewart Living Radio, SIRIUS NASCAR Radio, sports play-by-play and the Playboy Radio channel, all controlled by the iPod touch and iPhone.
Listeners can also tag songs they hear on XM’s music channels for later purchase from the iTunes Store —including songs on XM’s 24/7 artist branded commercial-free channels such as Jimmy Buffett’s Radio Margaritaville, Elvis Radio, Eminem’s Shade 45, The Grateful Dead Channel, B.B. King’s Bluesville, Willie Nelson’s Willie’s Place, Siriusly Sinatra and Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Radio. Other features include game alerts and sports ticker, artist and song alerts as well as a stock ticker.
The XM SkyDock is a perfect companion to the SIRIUS XM Premium Online App, which allows subscribers to receive SIRIUS XM’s Premium Internet service on their iPhone and iPod touch when they are out of the vehicle and on-the-go, at home, or at the office.
XM SkyDock comes with SIRIUS XM’s patent-pending PowerConnect™ technology, which simplifies Do-It-Yourself vehicle installation, working through the existing vehicle radio and making it easy to move from vehicle to vehicle. An Aux In Cable is a standard in-box accessory to facilitate Aux In connections in vehicles with Aux In capability. SkyDock’s flexible stalk optimizes the iPod touch or iPhone placement in the vehicle. Customers can view the touch-screen interface in portrait or landscape modes. Accessories include Magnetic Mount Antenna and spacers to accommodate the various iPod touch and iPhone product generations.
XM SkyDock is compatible with iPod touch (1st generation), iPod touch (2nd generation), iPhone, iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS. All models require iPhone OS 3.0 or later.
XM SkyDock will be sold in stores and will also be available at www.shop.xmradio.com with an MSRP $119.99 in fall 2009. The XM SkyDock App will be available at the same time.
This device has been granted preliminary approval by the Federal Communications Commission but is still undergoing evaluation by the Commission.
Position – Long Sirius XM Radio
The New Hardware Lineup
wow Mr Savary you are a fast writer
why do you think as of 1:13pm est there are no press releases from the company for any of this stuff?
http://investor.sirius.com/rel.....ouncements
The media event started at 11:00 AM.
Being in too much of a rush to read everything, does the SkyDock work if you have a Sirius subscription with the “Best of XM”?
Is Howard going to be available?
Does the phone function override the satellite radio function if you are listening to XM and get a phone call? Is there a hands free accessory when the iphone is docked into the Skydock? Will that hands free accessory allow the incoming voice to be heard over the radio, like the XM sound, if the iphone is docked?
Inquiring minds want to know.
Great…
All this hype about a piece of XM hardware that is USELESS to Sirius subscribers.
Yep… Mel Karmazin is a genius.
Boo Boo is such a tool.
Ok douchebag.
Please explain why ANYONE with a Sirius subscription would give a crap about a piece of hardware they can’t use?
Why isn’t Sirius-XM creating new hardware that can receive BOTH the Sirius and XM feeds?
I posted this on RB:
o.k. I’m gonna connect some dots…
ON2 video compression + Google + direct TV + XM + Ipod/Iphone doc…
Ok…so, ON2, which is getting bought out by Google, provides XM with streaming video compression. Could Direct tv have something cooking via transporting tv onto the new XM docking system? XM already has a contract with ON2. How would Google like getting into everyones car via the XM dock? So now we could have portable tvs….What do you think????
i think that everyone seems to always have some theory how this dog is gonna become a massive 15 dollar stock
I wonder what iPhone users are saying about this device…
http://forums.macrumors.com/sh.....p?t=773044
Way to go Mel.
Horse before cart.
Did the media event have milk and cookies?
What am I missing
I really really liked this company. I thought they had the corner on the market-As I have read above and agree without help from other companies like Liz was writing about- Who is going to buy this fragile stuff-?
We need more cowbell first people.And, I mean people to buy subscriptions- not churn the same pony until he keels over.
Marketing, Marketing, Marketing! not sell stuff sell stuff…..
Amen
Gotta have people first to ride on the ponies to make money- otherwise the ponies get hungry and mount huge vet bills.
It is 5:20 pm in NYC- The sirius web site has no press releases of any kind about all this exciting stuff-
except streaming on one of their channels about a senator from Mass. that made big headlines in the front of the New York Times when I was a boy when he met a bridge in the middle of the night.Tribute?Ummm.
While I am happy that sirius buzz disperses all of this info regarding hardware I am curious and quite suspicious as to why the company sits in idle?
And releases no info on anyof the articles written here today- Arent they supposed to do it-then you report it?
Just a point of clarification.
When a company releases a product, it is available in the marketplace.
The Title of Tyler’s article is simply incorrect.
The product has NOT been released and in point of fact still has NOT received final approval from the FCC.
It should also be pointed out that Apple has not announced that they have approved the application needed to use the SkyDock.
Sirius-XM has simply floated a trial balloon of a new product announcement.
So to receive H100 and H101 you need to place your iPhone in the dock? Otherwise it does NOT receive those channels?
What an epic FAIL.
MrJeff,
You would need to have an XM Subscription with the ‘Best of Sirius’ package in order to get Howard 100 and Howard 101.
The SkyDock is an XM only product and it is not a portable solution.
The iPhone is simply used as a TOuch Screen Display for the SatRad receiver in the dock.