iHeartRadio App Adds Lite Mode To Simplify Mobile Listening.

iHeartRadio is adding a simplified listening option to its mobile app, giving users a way to switch between its full functionality and a streamlined interface focused on favorite stations and recently played content.

The new Lite Mode is available on iOS and Android, with a toggle at the top of the app's homepage. The feature provides quick access to Presets, Recently Played and Local Radio without requiring listeners to leave the screen.

The new option emphasizes currently playing content while allowing listeners to return to the full iHeartRadio experience at any time.

“Radio is uniquely personal — it’s about companionship. Our listeners sometimes want to browse and discover, and at other times they simply want to go directly to what they’re looking for,” said Conal Byrne, CEO of the iHeartMedia Digital Audio Group. “This new ability to toggle between full functionality and Lite Mode, which has just the essentials, gives them the opportunity to make every experience the right one for them.”

iHeartMedia Chief Programming Officer Tom Poleman said the feature is designed around listeners' loyalty to radio stations and personalities.

“The average radio listener listens to 2-3 radio stations in a month vs. watching 40 TV channels in a month,” Poleman said. “Lite Mode serves a real purpose when listeners are trying to quickly get to the shows and personalities they’re passionate about and aren’t looking to browse the entire service.”