In what’s billed as the “most significant product update” since its 2011 relaunch, iHeartRadio has announced the debut of its next-generation mobile app, bringing the ease and simplicity of the traditional car radio experience to audio streaming. Listener favorites from the dashboard, such as presets, a scan button and a live radio “dial” have been integrated into the app.
In addition, new streaming era functionality, such as song lyrics, what’s trending rankers and access to exclusive content, have also been added.
The audio giant saws it drew from extensive user research and feedback to deliver “a seamless and simplified radio listening experience” designed for the needs of modern listeners, using all of today’s tech tools.
“Our listeners have made it clear that they want a streaming audio platform that’s intuitive and familiar, reflecting the simplicity of the car radio while embracing the full capabilities of streaming technology,” iHeart CEO Bob Pittman says in the announcement. “The redesigned iHeartRadio app does just that, bringing together the best features of the car radio and the mobile app. We are excited to offer this new and improved iHeartRadio app just in time for Christmas – it’s our special gift to our listeners.”
Among the new features rolling out today (Dec. 12) that will be available to all listeners on Android and iOS by Dec. 17:
Presets: In what iHeart calls “an audio-industry first,” custom presets allow listeners to save up to 15 of their favorite radio stations, playlists, podcasts and artist radio stations. The presets will be available throughout the app.
Scan Button: In another first that swipes a page from the car radio playbook, listeners can discover new stations by hitting the scan button to sample nationwide radio stations, or filter by city or genre. This marks a new way for app users to navigate and discover iHeartRadio’s immense broadcast radio dial.
Live Radio Dial: This new feature mimics the car radio experience used by listeners for decades with the added benefit of being organized by genre and location for ease of discovery.
What’s Trending Rankers: Users will have access to a new discovery feature that allows them to see what’s trending at that moment among other listeners across Top Podcasts, Top Playlists and Top Artist Radio stations, as well as features that are trending on iHeartRadio.
Lyrics: This staple of streaming music services is now part of the digital radio experience and iHeart says it is now the only digital radio app to offer lyrics for the song users are listening to on live radio. (Xperi’s DTS AutoStage hybrid radio platform also offers this feature.) Users will also be able to follow lyrics karaoke style for tracks on artist radio and playlists.
In addition to these new features, exclusive editorial content produced by iHeart stations across the country is now accessible from inside the iHeartRadio app. This includes artist news, all of the audio company’s exclusive in-studio interviews and the one-tap, enter-to-win contests that iHeart launched earlier.
“The new iHeartRadio app further underscores iHeartMedia’s mission to use the power of audio to build companionship and connection,” says Conal Byrne, CEO of the iHeart Digital Audio Group. “This experience blends the familiarity of the car radio with digital innovation to enable users to easily find the stations, artists and podcasts they know and love, fostering the fun, spontaneous discovery and connection that comes with live car radio – all through their phones, anywhere they go.”
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