iPod To Become a Portable Satellite Radio Player?

[MacRumors]

CNN reports on rumors that Apple may be working on a deal with Sirius Satellite Radio to bring satellite radio service to the iPod.

Technical hurdles include the difficulty of integrating the Sirius chip set into a device as small as an iPod, but both companies could benefit from such a deal in both publicity and sales.

Speculation is that a deal could be announced as soon as the Consumer Electronics Show or at Macworld Expo, both coming up in early January.

Sirius, which has been making big moves to try to catch rival XM Satellite Radio, already grabbed headlines by hiring shock-jock Howard Stern and could make waves again by a deal with Apple, the market leader in portable music players.

Both Sirius and Apple declined comment.

[Wonder Boy]

eh. how about free am/fm support?

[nagromme]

I really don't see this being added to "the" iPod.

But to "an" iPod... sure, why not? A separate model of satellite radio/iPod might be worth the experiment, even if it had to be larger.

As for AM/FM, I'd like that in an iPod too. But I'd like it SO rarely that I wouldn't want my iPod to get any bigger over it! Everywhere I go, there's already a radio. I use my iPod to escape it

[superfunkomatic]

Originally Posted by nagromme

I use my iPod to escape it

i don't know about other users but the ipod has ALL my music on it, and i can't see any use for having radio - the content on most american/canadian radio stations isn't worth listening to anyhow - that's why i bought a portable music device (ipod) - so i don't have to listen to the same 30 year old led zeppelin, eric clapton and aerosmith songs all day long on rock radio.

[ASP272]

Originally Posted by Wonder Boy

eh. how about free am/fm support?

Amen, brother. Why in the world doesn't the iPod support AM/FM yet? It's not like it would add much to the form factor. I've got a portable radio that's about an inch long. Surely they can fit that into an iPod. XM would be really sweet, though.

[wPod]

what? no . . . no no no. i would refuse to buy an iPod if it had sattelite radio. im paying for CDs (er iTMS downloads) i dont want to pay for a radio station to listen to radio. yes, i understand right now satelite radio is commercial free, but look at satelite TV its not commercial free, and you have to pay for it.

hopefully it will be an add-on to the iPod. a little box/reciever you strap to the back of the iPod then you can control your Serious stations through the iPod. . . that would be acceptable (plus probably the only thing that could work, like the article said theres not much of a chance the Serious reciever could fit in an iPod.

[Doctor Q]

Originally Posted by wPod

what? no . . . no no no. i would refuse to buy an iPod if it had sattelite radio. im paying for CDs (er iTMS downloads) i dont want to pay for a radio station to listen to radio.

*You* might not, but some people are willing to pay for a wider choice of radio options in cars and homes, and that is the target market for portable pay-radio as well.

[hob]

if Apple put DAB radio (the UK version) into the iPod - I'd buy it straight away!!

Hob

[leenoble]

The above post kinda beat me to the punch on this one but from a different angle. I've asked this question of a couple of Mac sites and yet to get an answer so here goes:

We don't have XM Radio in the UK and I presume much of Europe. We have DAB (Digital audio Broadcasting). An XM receiver would be useless anywhere but the US. I understand it requires a subscription. And where do you put the dish anyway?

My point is, what precedent is there for Apple producing ANY hardware device which was country or continent specific, to the exclusion of others?
Sure, they've excluded us from SOFTWARE services (iTMS, iPhoto books, Sherlock) but I can't recall a HARDWARE equivalent. Also at the moment I think all DAB receivers are larger than the iPod.

I don't see it happening.

The above questions are not rhetorical. Feel free to answer.

[titaniumducky]

Originally Posted by wPod

what? no . . . no no no. i would refuse to buy an iPod if it had sattelite radio. im paying for CDs (er iTMS downloads) i dont want to pay for a radio station to listen to radio. yes, i understand right now satelite radio is commercial free, but look at satelite TV its not commercial free, and you have to pay for it.

hopefully it will be an add-on to the iPod. a little box/reciever you strap to the back of the iPod then you can control your Serious stations through the iPod. . . that would be acceptable (plus probably the only thing that could work, like the article said theres not much of a chance the Serious reciever could fit in an iPod.

You wouldn't HAVE TO subscribe to satellite radio - you could continue using the iPod as you do now. The only difference is there would be a built-in receiver if you WANTED to use it.

[Yvan256]

Originally Posted by Wonder Boy

eh. how about free am/fm support?

Yeah, AM/FM is a priority before XM and Sirius... What ARE XM and Sirius, anyway?!

Another USA-only thing? Geeze Apple, the planet doesn't revolve around the USA. ;-)

[Trowaman]

Okay, let's review on what products there will be:

1. iPod (music only, currently 20 and 40)
2. iPod mini (music only, currently 4 GB, prob 5 GB at MWSF)
3. iPod SE (U2, 20 GB, music only)
4. iPod Photo (Music+Photos, 40 and 60 GB models)
5. iPod Flash (prob 1 GB Flash card based iPod)
6. iPhone (might actually be the iPod flash, iTunes on a motorolla phone)
7. iPod Radio (music + Sirus radio)

Any other pieces we're missing in all of this?

[appleface]

Originally Posted by Trowaman

Okay, let's review on what products there will be:

1. iPod (music only, currently 20 and 40)
2. iPod mini (music only, currently 4 GB, prob 5 GB at MWSF)
3. iPod SE (U2, 20 GB, music only)
4. iPod Photo (Music+Photos, 40 and 60 GB models)
5. iPod Flash (prob 1 GB Flash card based iPod)
6. iPhone (might actually be the iPod flash, iTunes on a motorolla phone)
7. iPod Radio (music + Sirus radio)

Any other pieces we're missing in all of this?

a remote control and a cable input for the imac.

[applekid]

Satellite radio is too fickle. Have you seen the latest portable XM radios? They require some sort of antenna that you attach to your shoulder or if you cover your hands over the device, you lose the signal completely.

Not looking forward to satellite radio in my iPod.

[dejo]

Originally Posted by Yvan256

Yeah, AM/FM is a priority before XM and Sirius... What ARE XM and Sirius, anyway?!

Another USA-only thing? Geeze Apple, the planet doesn't revolve around the USA. ;-)

I'd rather see commercial-free, greater-variety XM or Sirius come to the iPod, before commercial-ridden, heavily-programmed, song-over-playing AM/FM any day.

Besides, I think someone like Belkin or Griffin could easily produce an AM/FM receiver add-on for the iPod.

As for the "another USA-only thing" comment, what other things are you referring to? And why should U.S. customers be denied a service just because the rest of the world doesn't have it? Apple does have its headquarters in the U.S. And so you know where I'm coming from, I'm a Canadian.

[Yvan256]

Originally Posted by dejo

I'd rather see commercial-free, greater-variety XM or Sirius come to the iPod, before commercial-ridden, heavily-programmed, song-over-playing AM/FM any day.

Besides, I think someone like Belkin or Griffin could easily produce an AM/FM receiver add-on for the iPod.

As for the "another USA-only thing" comment, what other things are you referring to? And why should U.S. customers be denied a service just because the rest of the world doesn't have it? Apple does have its headquarters in the U.S. And so you know where I'm coming from, I'm a Canadian.

Well, since I don't know anything about XM nor Sirius, I cannot comment on this. In fact, I don't even listen to even AM nor FM. It's only that even el-cheapo players have an AM/FM tuner already, so not having one in the iPod seems kinda strange.

Yes, Belkin or Griffin could easily produce an AM/FM receiver. But why aren't they? (or do we simply just don't know about one that already exists?)

"Another USA-only thing" referred to a few bits left and right. Free song of the week being one, Apple stores being another (well yeah, they're starting to open up in other countries, but they waited to have nearly 100 stores in the USA before even opening one somewhere else, which leads to my comment "the planet doesn't revolve around the USA").

As for not letting having the USA customers having something just because the planet can't have it, well, I don't think Apple would come out with something they can't sell planet-wide (then again I could be wrong, and this is only my opinion).

Bah, I'm just bored today, where's my weekly eMac G5 rumor?

[Doctor Q]

Originally Posted by Yvan256

"Another USA-only thing" referred to a few bits left and right. Free song of the week being one, Apple stores being another (well yeah, they're starting to open up in other countries, but they waited to have nearly 100 stores in the USA before even opening one somewhere else, which leads to my comment "the planet doesn't revolve around the USA").

I think Apple's planet does revolve around the U.S. It's home turf and a big market, so it's not surprising. Unfortunate, but true. I hope in each case it's temporary, and that the non-U.S.-lag won't lead large numbers of potential customers to choose rival services and products that get to other countries first.

Apple did, in fact, eventually add free iTunes in the U.K., so they have the right idea, just not a speedy expansion. If it is hard to get licensing rights to sell music country by country, it can't be easy to get licensing rights to give away music country by country either.

[Chomolungma]

Originally Posted by dejo

I'd rather see commercial-free, greater-variety XM or Sirius come to the iPod, before commercial-ridden, heavily-programmed, song-over-playing AM/FM any day.

I couldn't agree more. I'm so sick and tire of listening to FM radio that it drove me buy an iPod last month. Commercial radio is so bland and increasingly own by ClearChannel. XM or Sirius would the complete transformation! Imagine buying a car without a radio instead it has a iPod dock!


-Chomo

[reckless_0001]

Originally Posted by Yvan256

Yeah, AM/FM is a priority before XM and Sirius... What ARE XM and Sirius, anyway?!

Another USA-only thing? Geeze Apple, the planet doesn't revolve around the USA. ;-)

actually, XM Radio is available to anyone subscribed below the NWT border. Check with your local stereo store.

[rjwill246]

Originally Posted by Yvan256

Yeah, AM/FM is a priority before XM and Sirius... What ARE XM and Sirius, anyway?!

Mmm... how could you make a statement then ask that question seriously if you don't know what they are?

Another USA-only thing? Geeze Apple, the planet doesn't revolve around the USA. ;-)

again... what was/were Apple's other USA-only thing(s)? So far as seems visible, Apple has been going global, idiots for the Canadian music industry notwithstanding.

[swissmann]

Originally Posted by Wonder Boy

eh. how about free am/fm support?

I second this. And how about built in voice recording.

[Don't panic]

that would be a very smart move.
I wonder if it will come integrated in a G5 iPod (), or -more likely- as an add on for the interim.
this could also open the way for a subscription-type deal with iTMS, to be streamed down from the heavens

[nagromme]

Originally Posted by Don't panic

this could also open the way for a subscription-type deal with iTMS, to be streamed down from the heavens

Yeah, when I first saw this rumor weeks ago, I thought it would be a clever way for Apple to one-up (in a sense) Microsoft's claim that people prefer subscriptions

[Steven1621]

i'd buy right now if they came out with that. i would expect that if they get a satelite tuner in the ipod it will have the am/fm as well.

[chukronos]

I would love this!! To have my music collection and sat. radio in one device would be great!! This way I could listen to music that wasn't picked by someone at ClearChannel. Even if it doubled the width and weight of the iPod, I would buy it. I work out, so I'm not too concerned about the extra ounces.