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New Details on Apple's Negotiations With iHeartMedia Surface
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I really do like my HomePods, I can listen to music in multiple rooms and as ai walk throughout the house. The one missing element is the ability to play local radio stations.
I still like hearing local news from the local stations, thankfully NPR has increased its foot print by buying local stations and most of the shows are available as podcasts, but it would be nice to ask siri to play a local radio station, even if it was an iHeart one.
Right now I have the iHeart ATV apps stream to them, but it requires you have an apple tv. I have been avoiding paying for a monthly music fee, having local radio stations on apple music could change my mind.
I still like hearing local news from the local stations, thankfully NPR has increased its foot print by buying local stations and most of the shows are available as podcasts, but it would be nice to ask siri to play a local radio station, even if it was an iHeart one.
Right now I have the iHeart ATV apps stream to them, but it requires you have an apple tv. I have been avoiding paying for a monthly music fee, having local radio stations on apple music could change my mind.
What's wrong with terrestrial radio, still used widely across the planet, one major advance is that it is FREE.
Only about 40 minutes of every hour is free. The trouble is the remaining 20 minutes gets interspersed with those 40.
Radio is pretty much propped up by live sports and hate-radio talkshows. Best to let these national conglomerates die an unlamented death and let the licenses go to local operators. There is still a place for radio in rural areas where there is no streaming possible. I still listen in the bathroom in the morning to my local public radio station and to baseball in the summer. I have no interest in wasting my limited cell data on streaming.
Purchase the intellectual property and platforms. Shut down the terrestrial radio stations and move them over to paid streaming options. It might be a good way for Apple to gain some profit out of this purchase.
With an approximate market cap of 150billion, which would likely go up if Apple showed interest in buying it, Apple would essentially be required to repatriate all of their liquid holdings overseas to be able to afford the buyout.
they could in tthoery gain 51% controlling interest in Disney fro 75-100billion.
The problem is, can't buy something that's not for sale, in addition, if they purchased Disney, lets say for 100billion. The length of time to recoup that might take a decade or two.
But at the end of the day, everytime there's some business to business strife, people shout this same nonsense "Apple should just buy them!"...
it's not that simple, easy nor worthwhile.
iTunes was destroyed as much by all the completely unnecessary plastic surgery of interface “upgrades” starting with iTunes 12 as it was from Apple’s assumptions of how the consumer SHOULD use iTunes (via streaming and the utterly confusing cloud-access to music on iPhones even when you select to see only downloaded music on your iPhone) vs. how many users WANT to use iTunes (for their large library of custom files existing only locally on their computer).
IHeart is a company that used to be Clear Channel. The worst job killing company in the USA for the radio/music industry, next to Cumulus and it's former CEO Bonus Boy John Dickey. IHEART had to change their name as it was so run into the ground, and Cumulus should consider that as well.
Very little talent left at this point and Apple should know better after paying 3 Billion for Beats which is unlistenable to a ton of Apple fans. Maybe it brings in more urban audience.
Apple just can't hire all the talent that used to work for IHEART? That's where the talent really is, other radio companies that got blown out by these two to save money. Apple should start from scratch with former radio program directors, or buy anything other than Cumulus or IHeart.
Very little talent left at this point and Apple should know better after paying 3 Billion for Beats which is unlistenable to a ton of Apple fans. Maybe it brings in more urban audience.
Apple just can't hire all the talent that used to work for IHEART? That's where the talent really is, other radio companies that got blown out by these two to save money. Apple should start from scratch with former radio program directors, or buy anything other than Cumulus or IHeart.
The background music in a typical npr segment is more memorable than the throwaway repetitive vibrations they call modern music nowadays.
I agree with you. Apple could turn iHeartAround and make it a vibrant network of radio stations that are both listener- and employee-friendly. I hope it happens.
Apple and iHeart is an interesting combo. Some good things could come out of this partnership. Time will tell where it goes.
Currently I listen to some local iHeart radio stations on both a Bose FM radio as well as using their streaming app. Both work well, and the app is also handy to listen to local news and data when out of town. I have little knowledge of the rest of their stations and offerings. I also have SiriusXM in the car and use that as well for many things.
The history of iHeart is an interesting read on their Wiki page. What began in the early 70s continued through the early 90s. That was followed by a series of corporate mergers and then a series of buyouts and takeovers in the 2006 time frame and later. Things went less than well and recently resulted in the chapter 11 filing earlier this year. Its not clear how much of their issues relate to the general decline of many business things following the US financial mess of 2008.
Most homes have FM radios as well as virtually all cars. Even the Tesla Model 3 has FM. Most are probably in use on a regular basis and it seems unlikely that radio is going away anytime soon. However the combo of streaming, the Internet, and apps is the general direction of the future it seems.
While I have used Apple music, I’m not a current subscriber…or for that matter to any other pure paid music service. I do use the free Pandora as well as some free offerings by Amazon Prime. I’m not a fan of the Apple Beats area at all. I don’t use cable or satellite TV, but instead use OTA signals and Netflix. I’m not sure paid music radio is going to be a big seller.
Apple has so far missed the boat on TV. Others like Sling, HBO, Showtime and a dozen others have set the stage while Apple has been in a “coming soon” mode for many years it seems. Maybe this will be their chance to get a better start for radio.
Currently I listen to some local iHeart radio stations on both a Bose FM radio as well as using their streaming app. Both work well, and the app is also handy to listen to local news and data when out of town. I have little knowledge of the rest of their stations and offerings. I also have SiriusXM in the car and use that as well for many things.
The history of iHeart is an interesting read on their Wiki page. What began in the early 70s continued through the early 90s. That was followed by a series of corporate mergers and then a series of buyouts and takeovers in the 2006 time frame and later. Things went less than well and recently resulted in the chapter 11 filing earlier this year. Its not clear how much of their issues relate to the general decline of many business things following the US financial mess of 2008.
Most homes have FM radios as well as virtually all cars. Even the Tesla Model 3 has FM. Most are probably in use on a regular basis and it seems unlikely that radio is going away anytime soon. However the combo of streaming, the Internet, and apps is the general direction of the future it seems.
While I have used Apple music, I’m not a current subscriber…or for that matter to any other pure paid music service. I do use the free Pandora as well as some free offerings by Amazon Prime. I’m not a fan of the Apple Beats area at all. I don’t use cable or satellite TV, but instead use OTA signals and Netflix. I’m not sure paid music radio is going to be a big seller.
Apple has so far missed the boat on TV. Others like Sling, HBO, Showtime and a dozen others have set the stage while Apple has been in a “coming soon” mode for many years it seems. Maybe this will be their chance to get a better start for radio.
Two things I'm curious what others feel about:
1) Radio certainly has its place. As a very avid podcast-listener and AmazonPrimeVideo/Youtube user for the majority of my video entertainment (DirecTVNow is my "cable" provider, for less than 50% of my video entertainment), there are times I really feel like listening to something that I know many others are listening to at the same time. CarTalk on NPR, certain TV series, and definitely football games. There's just something attractive about "pseudo group experience," even if it's "old fashioned." Hopefully the feeling of wanting to be a part of something simultaneously with others will always have appeal and 10 years from now won't be the world of only Amazon purchases and Youtube media ingestion.
All this ability to allow "I can watch whatever I want whenever I want" certainly has its upsides, but at the same time it's removed the feelings of anticipation and "I'm watching this with thousands of others" that really made something feel so much more special compared to being able to watch/listen to almost anything at anytime. Things go in waves and I certainly think that at some point things will swing back away from the insta-have.
If I'm not the only one feeling that way and if Apple or iHeart or xyz radio/broadcast provider can tap into fulfilling that need in a "want to have more of that way," which could be the gold nugget.
2) To me, the instant-ness and convenience of FM radio & broadcast TV (or even satellite radio) vs. the added steps required to partake streaming/podcasts/youtube is the equivalent of:
Corded headphones vs. removing headphone ports on iphones, or
Light switches vs. home automation lights, or
Offering magsafe/USB-C/USB-A/SDcard ports vs. "simplifying" to usb-c, or
Time-tested "obvious" and helpful UIx cues vs. flat design and "new fresh iOS 7 interface," or
Controlling all i-device volumes with the buttons vs. separating ringer/notification volumes vs. media volume, or
Controlling volume via buttons vs. via software
Apple & others COMPLETELY overlook the fact that "instant-on abilities" and convenience factors have a LARGE value, no matter how must "additional service" one receives via unavoidably more complex options.
Jony Ive can float higher and higher on cloud 9 each time he manages to remove a port or jack or button from an Apple device, but each time it results in introducing to the customer at least some type of lag or extra workaround, which really starts to add up after a while. Sometimes you just want to start the car and, wham, your radio which was left "on" is playing and you're off & running. If I had no light switches and had to rely on my iphone to spool up an App to turn on my lights upon arriving home, I'd go absolutely bonkers.
Podcasts, streaming, blue-toothing, etc., all still have certain lags that you notice those times when reverting back to caveman-esque light switches and FM radio, and until streaming/downloading/syncing/bluetooth-connecting catch up, there's an advantage in there somewhere that FM/broadcast still has.
1. Radio: For music at home we normally use a local iHeart channel via Alexa through a Bose radio system. We can also tune the same station on the Bose FM part, but using the Alexa connection allows all the other things it can do with feedback right through the same speakers.
For music in the car, SiriusXM is usually the choice with occasional FM use. SiriusXM is also the car source for national news and talk radio.
2. Automation
I have had automated house lighting since the 80s. Lights come on and off automatically based on sunset/sunrise as well as time of day. Alexa can also control any of them with voice commands as can any house iOS device or PC/Mac. The lights in stairs and kitchen come on automatically based on motion detection. We virtually never use a light switch at all. If we need to change something, we just ask Alexa to do it.
We use Tivo to record OTA TV shows as desired. We can watch when we want using a single remote control (from Harmony) for both live TV, recorded shows, Netflix, Apple TV, etc. The same options are available on each TV.
Lag is generally not an issue on any of the above. While I use Bluetooth for other things, the main radio is direct wired between the Bose and Alexa as are both TVs.
I too am not a fan of Jony Ive. While he makes nice commercials, I’ve not heard him say much that ever really impressed me much at all. He seems hung up on thin verses practical.
Nice. I have a decent degree of automation at home - all my ceiling can lights are LIFx, my thermostat is a Nest, my home security is Simplisafe, all with some amount of tie-in to each other. But my point was/is, automation and self-sensors can't cover each and every case within even just one 24-hour day period; often a simple switch is *the* very quickest *and* most convenient way to get the *right* setup. In other words, expediency and convenience far outweigh any preset custom scenes, remote controllability, or quality of light pattern, etc. simple as that. Sometimes I don't want an auto-turn-on when passing thru the kitchen at night. Sometimes I want to light just the hall light at my entry when returning home and laden with bags of groceries, the mail, my workbag; I hit the wall switch if I'm coming home at night and people are upstairs situated in their own way (some in rooms with lights off, some with lights on, etc), but then sometimes I'll hit all switches on the wall plate when I want a blast of light for my entire path from front door to kitchen to bedroom. Often the simplest solution is the best solution, even absent all the bells and whistles and "cool factor" that certain "wireless" solutions provide, simple as that. As long as both options exist for some of us, that will be good. Same for FM/satellite radio, IMHO, until "wifi" is as conveniently reachable as FM/satellite usually is. The more we're forced in today's state of tech to one-option-only via switch/port/jack reduction and streaming/downloading/syncing/connectivity across the board....that's not really a universally good thing IMHO. Not at all ready for primetime.
Here in England, I first thought my music collection must be bigger than that of most radio stations. Then I realised that some must have three CD sets: 40 Greatest Hits of the 60s, 40 Greatest Hits of the 70s, and 40 Greatest Hits of the 80s. And they play that same music all the time.
That's awesome. Just as I'd not want to lose FM radio and wall light switches, I'm more than ecstatic/pleased with LIFX lights when I want to control them via iPhone, and AmazonPrime video and DirecTVNow on my ipad just the same.
Glad that Apple didn't provide control the airwaves nor new housing electronics yearly; if they did I'd feel they'd seek to remove broadcast radio and wall switches for that "uncluttered appearance."
You can get regular switches that also work that way too. I have those for front door light and a closet lights..even though both are automatic based on motion. The switch allows for manual over ride when you want that.
The only positive outcome of this to me would be if Apple unblocks the FM chip that is within every iPhone ever sold for emergency information or free music. Apple will never take that step unless they're getting some profit from doing it. When Next Gen TV & ATSC 3.0 comes out with an IP layer, I suspect Apple will also become interested in investing in U.S. TV station companies too. Otherwise, they will fight tooth and nail that innovation to come to iPhones. At that point, Apple will be in trouble. Android phones will get live local network TV, but Apple will still charge more for an iPhone that does not have the capability. At least that's my prediction.
Sadly, as soon as there's a buck to be made, Corps will buy in and the cycle will begin again....