Sirius XM Squanders Opportunity With iPhone App
People are wondering why the absence of Stern. Some seem to think that there is a contractual issue, some think that the company may not have the rights to include Stern, some think Stern wanted more money, and others believe that the company is doing what it can to get additional dollars out of consumers.
In my opinion, there is nothing that should have held back the inclusion of Howard Stern. Stern’s show is already available on the Internet feed, and in point of fact, the iPohone and certainly the iPod Touch are basically mini computers. As a consumer, I can buy an AT&T air card, plug it into my computer and stream my Sirius XM Internet subscription that includes Howard Stern. Why shouldn’t I be able to do that on an iPhone or iPod Touch?
Sirius XM Radio has squandered a wonderful opportunity by excluding the very content that people are clamoring for. The iPhone and iPod Touch phenomenon is something that Sirius XM needed to embrace, and they needed to do it in a big way. Instead of a wonderful app that gave consumers value in their subscription, Sirius XM’s new offering seems to fall short of being a “must have” app. Instead of people talking about all of the great things available on the app, people are focusing on what is not available. That creates a hurdle that makes garnering new subscriptions far more difficult than otherwise would have been the case.
The damage is now done, and it will be hard to recover from. There are already over 200 people who have rated the app with only one star. Overall the app is rated as a two star app. By contrast, Slacker, and Pandora enjoy near perfect consumer ratings on iTunes. People want to know why Howard is not available, and thus far there are no real answers being provided. Consumers may feel slighted because of the missing content, and investors are sure to be angry over this fiasco that they hoped would provide stability to the stock. In the end, as things look at the moment, no one wins.
Long term, the app may provide a boost to the company revenues, and even subscriber numbers, but these results will pale in comparison to what it could have been. It is sad to see such an opportunity squandered. It is sad to see the company make another move that gives the naysayers a stronger voice. Hopefully the company will provide more insight on this, and they will modify the service to include as much of their content as possible. What happens next is anyone guess.
Position – Long Sirius XM, No Position apple, No Position AT&T
I think Sirius management wants to fail. It took years for an app and now they just have music on there.
Lame!!!
Open Mouth…… Insert Foot
Way too premature on your reporting…. a typical media mistake to be the first to “report” something. We will know by the end of the day when(not if) Howard will be accessable with this app.
How is it premature? We should not have to wait until the end of the day, week or month to find out why Stern was not included. The reason or reasonss why Stern is not part of the application should have been communicated at the same time as the press release.
I agree with you on that…It is the premature over reaction for the sake of a headline that bothers me about all media
The headline is perfect and not premature. Now, other media may have a reson for taking advantage of this moment to forward their agenda, but Tyler is a long and makes the perfect point. You have to sieze the moment in every way. SiriusXM blew it here and you cannot get that back no matter what at this point. You can correct it or clarify it but the damage is done. Don’t you see that?
If Sirius plans on telling by the end of the day when Stern will be available, they should have done it at the beginning of the day with the original PR. They created this negativity with an inadequate explanation for excluding Stern. They screwed the pooch on this one. Not sure why, but they did.
You know I can’t figure people out, I hear for years about how stern was a waste of money and nobody listens to him. Now suddenly no stern is a dealbreaker for the iPhone app ?
People should mad at Howard Stern!
If people want howard on the iPhone call into his show – ask him why he doesn’t want to be on the iPhone.
Sirius pays their marketing people big bucks. They should have researched as to how important is was to have Stern on the IPhone ap. If people are clamoring for Stern, then by golly give them Stern. Don’t let it become an issue that draws away from a great product release.
And another plug for Pandora and Slacker by SiriusBuzz. Nice…
Tyler,
Why don’t you give IR a call and get the real story?
I have talked to numerous contacts and they all refuse to comment. That is the real story.
Good story…. btw, that’s not what I’m hearing.
The real reason is that Sirius management is a disspointment on a monumental scale. I have given Mel so many benefits of the doubt though the years. I have held the stock since 2004 and have 74K shares. So, being in the hole to the tune of 50K hurts just a little. They have BLOWN it like Tyler says. Even if there is a good reason, why will Mel not get in front of some microphone and just talk it through? he has the ability to set expectations correctly but he is hiding behind a press release. This is a huge event yet it dribbled out in the night and now this huge stern hole is the last straw. UNBELIEVABLE! If I can find a way out of this mess, you will never see me as a customer again. EVER.
I agree! I have owned this stock for years, but jumped into the deep end December 2007 because by all reports, the merger was supposed to be approved by the end of 2007. Damn the DOJ and FCC for dragging there feet on that one. I was able to average down and was close to breakeven when it hit 63 cents. If I get close again, I am dumping this dog of a stock. I will remain a customer beause I like the service and because I purchased a lifetime subscription, guess I’m stuck.
GOOD JOB MEL!
I agree also. Mistake after mistake. Just does not stop. You can almost bet 100% if it is an important decision, SiriusXM will screw the pooch everytime.It would almost be laughable at this point, but they have hurt a lot of stockholders and really don’t give a sh–Liberty will end up with this company one way or another taking it private as Mel said he would and the stockholders will get little or nothing.
The I phone will help, and the stock might get a small burst forward, then the heggies will take it back down.That is a given.
Nothing will change until dramatic profit is reached every quarter, and or the massive float is reduced.But I think we will all long be gone by then and it will be a private company.
vaporgold
In a press release I read, Mel stated that NFL, MLB, and Howard would not be available on iPhone. I understand NFL, and MLB, but I don’t get the exclusion of Howard (since he is already part of the internet streaming package). I’m thinking that perhaps an exclusive Howard Deal with the Blackberry is in the works (?). Remember a month or so ago, Howard stated that the Blackberry is the way to go. Any thoughts on this?
this is not Sterns doing, he was talking about this app months ago, and how cool it would be to listen to the show on an iphone or blackberry. Maybe At&t has a problem with Howard?
I’m more concerned about the NFL play by play. I like Stern, but I would have SXM with or without him. I’m sure all of it boils down to contractual issues.
Tyler,
a few months ago, Stern had a couple of guys from Nicemac.com on the show discussing their iphone app. He seemed excited about the idea of being on the iphone. I can’t imagine what changed since then. I believe Stern will be on the iphone app eventually, perhaps when ATT upgrades their network this summer.
The stock is now at 37 cents and dropping.
All the hype that drove the after-hours trading price up to 43 cents has now faded into outright exasperation.
Mark my words.
In less than a week this stock will be at 25 cents.
Sirius-XM management has really screwed the pooch on this one and they have NO ONE to blame but themselves.
Don’t blame Howard, ATT or Apple for this travesty.
This has Mel Karmazin’s dirty little finger prints all over it.
Once again, Sirius-XM fails to communicate properly with it’s customers and potential customers.
Yet they managed to alienate them and drive the stock back into the ground all in one day.
Mel Karmazin, Super Genius.
There is no way this stock goes anywhere close to 30 cents. You are creating a negative out of a positive. The iPhone app will have done its job. Mainly, it will allow millions of iPhone and iPod users to get a taste of what this hype is all about. The SIRIUS XM app is already climbing the charts as the most downloaded free app out of 50,000 apps out there, all done within a half days time. You can bet that given a wk or so, this will be the #1 most downloaded app. You know what kind of publicity this has on SIRIUS XM? You can bet everyone will have at least a slight idea of what the company is about. The iPhone app channel guide has 120 different stations, and you are talking about $2.99 a month? That is well worth the price. The only two things that it doesn’t have from what I listen to is Howard Stern and NFL play by play. The iPhone app was never intended to replace/mirror other receivers, and it shouldn’t. You can’t beat the sound quality of car installations and docking stations.
Try paying attention to the real time quoting of SIRI today.
Your assertion is pure nonsense.
The stock is at 35 cents and DROPPING.
This app is already a failure and the market recognizes it.
It won’t go down to 30 cents, let alone the 25 cents that you are claiming. It didn’t reach that before the iPhone app so why would it now? Like I said, you’re turning a negative from something that is a positive.
Please…
The stock opened at 43.5 cents this morning.
At the close today it will be at 35 cents or below.
Do you honestly believe that 30 cents is a stretch?
BTW, 35 cents is pretty close to 30 cents so you’ve already been proven wrong.
The stock closed at 34.05 cents.
You are clearly out of touch.
I have to believe that this is a calculated decision by management, or Stern – or a collaboration of both – to rape and pillage the subscribers for the umpteenth time. One thing is for sure; if the subscribers really, really want something….. Sirius/XM will make sure that they don’t get it. As far as this company is concerned, the subscribers are nothing more than PIECES OF SHIT ! Every single time that there is news that creates hope and enthusiasm, they squash the subscribers spirit like a sledgehammer hitting a ladybug. They are so much more than just stupid – they are spiteful, conniving, depraved, and cruel. I love the product, but I am starting to hate the greedy mother fuckers who run this fiasco.
I don’t “love” the product anymore. Two years ago I would’ve defended StaRad (XM OR Sirius – & I am a XM subscriber) to the mat. But that was prior combined companies. Since the merger all my concerns have come to pass. Decreased quality,pittiful substitutions of channels I used to dearly love,and the TOTALLY evident complete lack of concern for the core subscriber base that made SatRad what it WAS.
I posted the old but so true saying: Actions speak louder than words”. Face it you supporters of Mel & his crooks, the man & ilk like him don’t give a shit what anyone thinks. It is evident they are shylocks and a lot of you posters have lapped up his BS all along.
Keep wallowing in the minutia of where the stock is going and you won’t see the forest for the trees. The company will have to crash and burn and hopefully someone who knows how to run a SATELLITE broadcasting company and not a REHASH of corporate terra radio will come along or all of us will be listening to 0.0% signal strength just like the analog TV’s went out last Sunday.
Sadly, a part of me really wants this to happen because Mel & Co. have truly fucked up what once was the greatest thing to happen to radio in my lifetime.
There’s no getting around the truth.
guys, instead of complaining here go to the stern website instead and leave them a message. I just did and told them that I think they are obviously money greedy a……..s who don’t give a damn about their fans who are all disappointed by this app. I guess if they are flooded by bad comments over the weekend we might hear something about it on monday. unless the stern show isn’t keeping it real this time. from what they have just done to their faithful fans that seems to be certainly true
how are they money grabbing if howard is now free on itunes, better check your itunes store for free howard shows, even todays show is free on itunes.
if this is something official (it doesn’t look like it is) the whole situation would be even crazier. anyhow, I suggest to leave a lot of negative feedback on the Stern site. To use a quote from his movie “I wanna see what he’ll say next…” (about this deal)
Where do I send my Bozo-of-the-Year Award for Melvin Karmazin to?
Oh, I forgot, this isn’t Melvin’s fault either. Damn, that guy has a dark cloud hanging over him… or, does he? ? ?
Don’t bother sending it, he already has two of them from the past two years
Keep in mind that satellite radio must separate itself from Stern at some point and maybe today is that day.
I am more concerned about how they are going to replace Stern in 2010!
Still I would of been happy with a little Bubba on 101.
good point JS- I just called Sterns office- he couldnt come to his iphone-
He is taking a nap after eating his afternoon milk and cookies
Instead of the show “whatever Martha”
it should be “whatever Stern”
Some select programming, including MLB Play-by-Play, NFL Play-by-Play, SIRIUS NASCAR Radio, and Howard Stern, will not be available on the iPhone and iPod touch.
At least the application came thru
Youre all right the stock is down 10 percent and millions of shares sold because a washed up old fart that you have all been bashing wont be at the party
Goodness folks- youre all kidding-right?
Stern isnt the cayse of the “reaction” on wall street- is over its the loss of NASCAR
Sounds just as stupid- doesnt it
Buy more below 35
@Dead Elvis – hahaha – you are out of your mind. Nascar?? You must be joking. This is ALL ABOUT HOWARD – Howard IS satellite radio. Why even bother with this technology when you can get it for free with any number of free apps or websites. People are paying for a service to get something they can only get on this medium. I am pissed. I was waiting for this app for a long time. I was pissed when Sirius stepped in at the last minute and told Nicemac they couldn’t release an app. I hope this is a small hurdle and that it will be worked out, but my hunch is that Sirius f$@#ed up again and this is literally the end.
This may be a temporary set back but I think people are over-reacting, as usual wherin this company is concerned. I downloaded the App this AM & have been Happier than a Pig-in-shit listening to my music, so far all day out of my shirt pocket !! Bravo I say, albeit late & apparently slightly tattered this a wonderful product with a great stream reaching me even where my phone service Fails !!!
Excellent App, 4.75 Star out of 5-rating in my not so humble opinion……
I could nit agree more-todays announcenment hasnt a thing in the long haul to do with a pervert as Stern .They solidified their longevity.This company is quite here to stay based on the release
and to that Dan Guy so did you sell today or short the stock – if not chill out chill out- If you dont Mel will gladly send you up with their next satellite launch
Dan,I truely doubt Im out of my mind -but if you insist may I give you the name of my ex wifes attorney to testify to this so that I can stop paying the woman alimony?
The app is #6 on the “Top 25 Free Apps” even without howard.
Thanks because people think Howard is included.
This app will be in the history books of the worst crash and burn after being the most anticipated app in history.
What a disgrace!!!
Sirius seriously screwed the pooch on this one. It’s so unbelievably stupid, I cannot help but sit and stare at the news and blogs and laugh at how moronic the people running Sirius/XM are.
all I can say is “WOW!”
Does anyone know if Sirius gets a cut of the revenue from the itunes shopping cart functionality? Is it the same as Pandora? Might be worth looking into as to what percentage of Pandora revenue comes from itunes song purchases?
The stock is at 34 cents and dropping 5 minutes before closing.
CHECK BACK WITH ME TOMORROW
HOLD DIFFERENT STORY
HEARD IT HERE FIRST
WTF does hold different story mean?
English Mutha F@#$@#! Do You Speak It?
Something very very odd here.
The original screenshot Sirius themselves unveiled on this App had Howard 100!
Take a look.
Recondo72:
What I meant is that I love the technology; you are right – the product ain’t what it used to be, and the worse it gets…. the more they charge for it! The whole thing is sickening.
What a bunch of sick, twisted, heartless jerkoffs steering this sinking ship. They will suffer the consequences of their actions in the long run. In the meantime, they prolong the subscribers suffering with their usual indifference.
As an XM subscriber since Feb 2002, I couldn’t agree more.
There is nothing worse than seeing something you were so proud of and just couldn’t say enough good about it to see it going into the shitter. Almost as bad as seeing a good kid with so much potential go down the wrong path.
Two years and more ago I really ment it when I would say to friends,work associates, & SatRad blogs when I said I would give up the internet & cell phone before I would give up SatRad and there would be a fight before I gave up my trusty ‘lil ‘ol SkyFi gen 1. I even used to end my post with: “My trusty ‘lil ‘ol SkyFi…FROM MY COLD DEAD HANDS!!!”
Now thanks to the total mess since the merger I can’t say that.
Thanks Mel,Greenstein, & Zellner and the rest of the corporate suits who have been making the decisions for fucking up a truly great thing.
You’ll get no good “FREE” word of mouth from me(and you know how much that is worth – but Mel & Co don’t care) and I suspect a shitload of other pissed off subscribers as well.
At EVERY road crossing, MEL drives this F*CKING ship into an iceberg. The iPhone string of events has been the most disgusting display of product execution I think I have ever witnessed. How could it have gone any worse?? Not releasing the app would have been a better outcome given the Stern disappearance from the selection listing.
A 16 year old could run this company better.. And I only say 16 because he needs be able to drive himself to work.
Sirius! please get your head out of your own a$$ for some air.
You know it almost feels like the company is intentionally screwing things up. Then I must ask my self why, would they do such a thing. Then I think because of $$$$, who would benefit if the company went private. Who would benefit from nearly 19-million subs. I don’t know the answers to these questions. But at this point I have to start wondering who will be getting the short end of the stick? Probably retail investors. I’ve been a sub for almost 7 years, and am so disgusted with their lack of proper marketing out of spite I am going to cancel my Sub. Today is a very sad day indeed.
PS Mike I will check back with you tomorrow to get your take.
I’m tried of carrying around this cheap radio that breaks at the drop of a hat. (I’m on my 5th one since Howard came on) I was really looking forward to buying an iPhone tomorrow and using this app. I guess now I will listen to internet radio in the car and at work and I will try and catch Howard when I get home. I’m sorry I bought a lifetime subscription. When Howard’s contract is up he should get out. Satellite radio is going nowhere. Sirius XM you have dropped the ball on this one.
The app is really good even though I’m pissed the F off no Howard !
This could be a great app because for the very first time u don’t need a
sat signal in portable device!! So now people who work in buildings & and aren’t
at a desk all day , can truly listen anywhere!! I hope they get the rights to use all
the channels but give it more than 24hours before u go f n Postal !!! (relax) enjoy
what u have instead of what u don’t!! ((((Peace & Love ,Peace & love))))
Excellent Comments AD…………..people are never satisfied !!
The App is cool, and will get better !!
I’m very satisfied with it !!
Thanks bro I’m loving this app with or without H .
This has to be a horrendous mistake! Not including Howard on the new app has killed the much anticipated rise of the Sirius stock! As I am a stockholder, please tell me this is not a bad dream! Who made this decision and what time today was he fired?
There are really only two senarios to explain this. 1) There are serious contract issues and Sirius felt they had their hands tied. If this is the case – only Howard is to blame, not Sirius. 2) This is all planned and they will make an announcement in days saying that Howard is on the iPhone. I think this is more likely than not. Howard was on the slide of the App on the shareholder conference slide show.
Furthermore, Mel Karmazin, despite his alleged genius and ability to wheel and deal like a radio boy wonder, has so alienated and betrayed the millions of satellite radio lovers that the mere mention of his name conjures up the term “shyster”. He is wearing out the subscribers patience, and many of them want his head on a platter.
The manipulation of the merger, and now the stock, pales in comparison to THE MANIPULATION OF THE SUBSCRIBERS AND SHAREHOLDERS by this company. Satellite radio is on the threshold of blasting off from the launching pad and soaring to become a dominant force, but it can’t because Mel and his cronies are busy icing up the wings and removing tiles from the fuselage. It’s not the economy, it’s not that people won’t pay for radio, and it’s not too much competition…. it is Sirius/XM’s futile and pathetic management, and their consistent record of NEVER doing the right thing!
Jon, You are dreaming.
What is very clear is that Sirius-XM management deliberately created those slides to create the IMPRESSION that Howard Stern was included.
If there really are contract issues, they have known about these for some time and it’s really no excuse.
The slides were a deliberate attempt to manipulate and pacify stockholders.
The stock opens at 43.5 cents with the debut of the iPhone App.
Everyone finds out what is NOT included in the channel offerings.
The stock closes at 34.05 cents as the market realizes the iPhone app is already a failure.
That’s almost a 22% drop IN ONE DAY based SOLELY on the incompetence of Sirius-XM management.
The only conclusion one can draw is that Sirius-XM management is deliberately acting to drive down the stock price.
The question is WHY?
If Charles gave an award for best post of the year today.
You qualify as the by far and away “Most Pathetic” poster of the year.
For example. If you bought in the .30’s. You had the past month plus to do this. And sold in the .40’s, as I DID. You made a PROFIT. But with you one sided negative constant personal attacking posts. You would be unable to posts the truth.
Do they have ignore on messages posted on articles. If not please add it. Thank you.
Socalrunningfool,
If you don’t like my posts, don’t read them.
I don’t attack people personally here.
That’s what you seem to enjoy.
I comment on the utter incompetence of Sirius-XM management.
Maybe you are simply too dense to understand that the bungling management of Sirius-XM had a HUGE effect on the stock price yesterday.
Furthermore, (pay attention now you might actually learn something) yesterday’s iPhone App fiasco set a tone in the market that Sirius-XM is a company that can’t get out of its own way.
This stock is destined to remain a penny stock unless management is changed.
Ok so because you turned a 10 cent profit on your single trade, that somehow negates Mel and his sh!t brained management’s disastrous release on the world’s most famous platform?
While you celebrate your trade we mourn the company. Senior management is consistently incompitent. If you love the product you have to be pretty upset right now. If you don’t care about the product, who knows what the stock could be at right now if Sirius just executed the open layups and free throws? This company doesn’t need a young Steve Jobs and Bill Gates mind to make this company successfull.
Pardon me for stating the obvious. But there is money to be made here for those that are willing to make it.
Not interested in drama. Just ringing the register. Sorry.
People like “Socialrunning” are only interested in making a profit and I’m all for that and that’s what all stockholders(myself included) want.
However, I am a long-term XM subscriber & lover of radio WORTH A SHIT first and stockholder second. The world is full of people who care not a whit for the product/service but are only interested in the price of the stock. Again, that’s fine but ultimately shitty service and piss poor product will cause a company to fail and I’m not happy to say that this is what is happening to SiriusXM.
Thanks MEL says:
Amen, brother! The way this company has handled EVERYTHING is so tragic… it’s almost comical. The only thing is that nobody is laughing. I am starting to believe that there is definitely an agenda, rife with corruption and manipulation, from managements “inner circle.”
This technology is so amazing, and the potential is enormous. Unfortunately, with the company being run by idiots, there is a better than even money chance that satellite radio will be destroyed. I could offer all kinds of advice, but I know that it’s a waste of time to offer it; they just don’t care and they aren’t interested. What a goddamn shame this ridiculous soap opera has become!
Now, now, we need not insult one of the board’s hosts… after all, poor Melvin is not to blame… NOT!
Hey, board host, whatever your current name is, Why Don’t you Do and Expose on Melvin Karmazin??
Any possibility that it’s AT&T calling the shots? I mean 11 or 12 million users streaming Howard 100/101 8 hours a day might be a reason AT&T would not want that?
I know there are other apps that stream music, but there no where as popular as Howard??
I can’t understand how Sirius can botch this so bad. It was such an opportunity for them to put out a great app, and get themselves back on the technology map. They seem so out of touch for years, no vision, and this just tops it off. I was waiting for this app, I would have paid more for it, and wouldn’t mind paying a monthly fee for it. Without Howard forget it. I am in Canada and I can’t even get this app. it took so much time to get this app out I can’t believe they couldn’t get all the issues negotiated. Seemed like they could care less, just get this out, who cares if it is crap. The problem is, in peoples minds Sirius is quickly becoming old technology, who wants it. This just cements it. The way Sirius is managed is such a shame, it really is a good product.
Glenn is probably right with AT&T being petrified and completely unprepared for what they got themselves into. The real issue, imo, is the deafening silence from SiriusXM.
This company, of which I have supported through subscriptions and word of mouth, has really gotten under my skin. They reek of desperation and unless some good will is displayed, will absolutely be losing my payment of which I will spend on a monthly lunch at Chilis in celebration of my freedom from “No more BS.”
-Frustrated & Tired in beantown
This fiasco drives home the point that you never get a second chance at a first impression.
The first impression from the people most interested in purchasing this iPhone App was not good.
There is nothing Sirius-XM can do that will undo the bad impression that they left with potential customers.
Someone needs to be fired over this but we know it won’t happen.
just get select radio I have had Howard on my HTC Smartphone for a 1 1/2 years. http://www.selectradio.com