Hyundai Latest To Offer Easy Access To Internet Radio

[Jay Peninger]

Since we had talking about internet radio in an earlier thread and how it would have to begin to become mainstream I saw this clip and am excited that Automakers are starting to see the value of having a net radio in their vehicles, it appeal to the younger buyers I am sure...

http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/85771/hyundai-latest-to-offer-easy-access-to-internet-ra?ref=mail_news

 

[LITTLEBOYBLUE]

Hopefully it still makes it easy to punch local for traffic and punch back to stream. Even NAB & Sirius/XM folks all saw the high value of local traffic for car radio when they started their pissing match years ago.

 

[SRP]

Make the radios as easy as you want. Doesn't matter a hoot.

Bandwidth is the key and the carriers aren't charities. Until that situation changes internet radio in cars is a non issue.

 

[bossbill]

My position for some time has been that satellite radio (XM) is a transitional platform, and that terrestrial broadcasters should be more concerned about internet in autos...

 

[SRP]

My position for some time has been that satellite radio (XM) is a transitional platform, and that terrestrial broadcasters should be more concerned about internet in autos...

You may want to rethink that position.

XM/Sirius averages $13/month. A trial subscription (from 3 months to a year) is usually offered with new cars.

The cheapest mobile broadband is around $15 a month. And you can bet the cellular carriers won't be offering " free trial subscriptions" with new vehicles.

It may come to pass where the mobile broadband fee is factored into the monthly lease/loan payment, but the consumer advocates will get all up in arms over that saying there's no "free market choice".

 

[radioguy39nj]

As I noted elsewhere, Mercedes-Benz is offering Pandora on its vehicles. New gadgets always get offered on luxury marques before working their way to popular priced vehicles.

Internet radio in cars could pose a major issue for Sirius/XM. Hyundai is apparently getting a leg up on the future.

 

[Jay Peninger]

Make the radios as easy as you want. Doesn't matter a hoot.

Bandwidth is the key and the carriers aren't charities. Until that situation changes internet radio in cars is a non issue.

Say what you will about expense but more and more vehicles are coming factory equipped with Internet ready in dash systems for web browsing, navigation and now music... The truth of the matter is yes bandwidth costs money but at a certain level your costs begin to diminish as you add more subscribers... And as these devices become more mainstream and integrated into the vehicle you will see usage fee's level off maybe even come down some.

Have a device in your car that allows you to monitor the vehicles system report any issues to the dealer/mechanic, provide navigation services, entertainment via movies television and gaming, act as a communications device via VoIP applications, and stream music as well.

It's not only coming folks it's here, and in the coming years the demand will increase as people's desire to be connected no matter where they might be increases...

 

[TVradioguru]

I agree with SRP. My BMW has an Internet capable connection for Pandora, or whatever, but I would have to set up a connection with a cell phone carrier, pay all the broadband charges, subscriptions and taxes (which aren't going down). Or I can use my IPhone, Windows Phone, whatever.. and plug it into my aux jack.

Like satellite though, if there are charges involved Joe and Suzy Sixpack won't be interested. They will be happy with good old local radio for free. Joe and Suzy represent the majority.

 

[SRP]

As I noted elsewhere, Mercedes-Benz is offering Pandora on its vehicles. New gadgets always get offered on luxury marques before working their way to popular priced vehicles.

Internet radio in cars could pose a major issue for Sirius/XM. Hyundai is apparently getting a leg up on the future.

Let me explain this to you again, slowly:

XM/Sirius is a SERVICE PROVIDER. They don't depend on any THIRD PARTY to get the service to a car.

Pandora depends on a THIRD PARTY SERVICE PROVIDER (translation: a cell phone carrier or a WiMax service like Clear) to get its service to a car.

Mercedes can offer all the free Pandora it wants as long as it pays for that THIRD PARTY SERVICE PROVIDER.

Hyundai and other marques won't be as generous. See Guru's post above about BMW.

 

[Goldilocks94941]

These pronouncements about what WILL HAPPEN from Guru and SRP are sounding too much like an echo chamber. Again. Don't you guys ever engage in thinking out loud with your colleagues, instead of just making pronouncements on this board that all sound like they should end with "case closed!"? (Maybe you were raised by Archie Bunker, but that kind of attitude doesn't really go far, at either the station level, or on an industry message board.)

Doesn't the radio industry have a place in your heart, not just in your wallet? This latest exchange about the possibilities of internet in car radio is another example of what a recent thread on the Seattle board illustrated, where "newcomers" explained how they were turned off by this sort of derailing of discussions, and tend to stay out of it, or, as I'm finding as well, just decide to stay away from Radio Info. I think this reflects the snarky attitudes many people in commercial radio have toward their competitors -- but it does little to further the industry's growth, and turns this forum into a little club for a smaller and smaller number of the "chosen few" who only defend the status quo.

You guys have worthwhile things to contribute, from time to time, but try to be a little more gracious in how you present your opinions. It's getting as predictable as AM radio.

 

[SRP]

I guess it comes from Guru and I living in the "real world", where bills have to be paid and stockholders have to be made happy.

Maybe we should rename this board the "Seattle-Tacoma Fantasyland Radio Board".

 

[TVradioguru]

Doesn't the radio industry have a place in your heart, not just in your wallet?

You guys have worthwhile things to contribute, from time to time, but try to be a little more gracious in how you present your opinions. It's getting as predictable as AM radio.

Geez, tough room.. And yes, my heart is certainly in the industry which, because I do my job well..translates to ample money in my wallet.

I fail to see any snarkiness in either of our posts until you started in Goldi. Unlike some, SRP and I have opinions based on professional or personal experience.

The fact is I already have what was sited coming in Hyundais, in my BMW 740i and because of that, I have an opinion based on actual experience. If you take the appeal of using a broadband connection in a car, combine it with all the escalating costs to use it, the average consumer will find the idea less appealing. I can afford it, but still don't find it worth the money.

 

[David1960]

I don't think it's so tough to see how this could be an economic reality.

I (and a fair percentage of the population) already have smartphones that work as wifi hot spots. (In my case it's Android but I presume all other smartphones have this capability too.) All that's needed is an in-dash internet receiver to conveniently lock in presets and search for your smartphone's wifi connection. Or perhaps via bluetooth. Very plausible -- no extra fees.

 

[scott salvatori]

My BMW has an Internet capable connection for Pandora, or whatever,

if there are charges involved Joe and Suzy Sixpack won't be interested. They will be happy with good old local radio for free. Joe and Suzy represent the majority.

wow, briefcase bill has a BMW with internet? that aint nothin. my 76 dodge pickup has a nice AM radio with....... uh..umm... actually, i guess you win the "whos livin' larger" contest.

but hey, my other truck has an XM, and CB radio and makes more noise, and spews more black smoke than your BMW...i guess i win the "who can make a larger environmental footprint" contest. yes!

joe sixpack-the majority

 

[SRP]

I don't think it's so tough to see how this could be an economic reality.

I (and a fair percentage of the population) already have smartphones that work as wifi hot spots. (In my case it's Android but I presume all other smartphones have this capability too.) All that's needed is an in-dash internet receiver to conveniently lock in presets and search for your smartphone's wifi connection. Or perhaps via bluetooth. Very plausible -- no extra fees.

How many different smartphones are there? Android (and that alone has several different flavors), Blackberry, iPhone, etc. Each one has different connectivity protocols and interfaces. And we're not even talking about the Web-enabled non-smartphones (would that be "dumbphones"?)

Manufacturers aren't going to invest in putting in a way to "conveniently lock in presets" for EVERY variety of wireless device. Period.

If you go the Bluetooth route, that's called "tethering" - which on most cell plans is either forbidden or comes with an extra fee.

Finally "joe sixpack" (not scott - but the majority of Americans) aren't going to bother to connect their phones to their car radios when they can just turn on the one they have and get music & information.

Not so "plausible" after all.

 

[Jay Peninger]

I don't think it's so tough to see how this could be an economic reality.

I (and a fair percentage of the population) already have smartphones that work as wifi hot spots. (In my case it's Android but I presume all other smartphones have this capability too.) All that's needed is an in-dash internet receiver to conveniently lock in presets and search for your smartphone's wifi connection. Or perhaps via bluetooth. Very plausible -- no extra fees.

How many different smartphones are there? Android (and that alone has several different flavors), Blackberry, iPhone, etc. Each one has different connectivity protocols and interfaces. And we're not even talking about the Web-enabled non-smartphones (would that be "dumbphones"?)

Manufacturers aren't going to invest in putting in a way to "conveniently lock in presets" for EVERY variety of wireless device. Period.

If you go the Bluetooth route, that's called "tethering" - which on most cell plans is either forbidden or comes with an extra fee.

Finally "joe sixpack" (not scott - but the majority of Americans) aren't going to bother to connect their phones to their car radios when they can just turn on the one they have and get music & information.

Not so "plausible" after all.

I have to disagree with that to some extent because there are numbers out there that show net radio is becoming viable and stations who don't stream are missing growing number of listeners.

Of the total P 12+ population 27% have listened to Online Radio in the past month... That is appox. 70 million people....

And More Than One in Four Online Radio Listeners “Very Interested” in Listening on a Device in Their Cars 27% of the listeners from above...

And without any special kits or instructions on how to do so 6% went out and connected their Smartphone to their car stereo to listen to Internet Radio...

1 in 4 frequent radio listeners listen to Internet Radio while at work or 27% of the P 12+ group

These numbers are growing every year people want access to Internet based radio on their mobile devices and in their cars...

You can get the complete study from Arbitron (Digital Platforms and the future of radio)

Like I said you might not like it or think it is viable but you know as well as I do that if people are willing to buy a new device or grab a cable from someplace to get to the content that they want somebody out there is going to supply it.... It's going to happen on a large scale and it has already begun.....

 

[TVradioguru]

And More Than One in Four Online Radio Listeners “Very Interested” in Listening on a Device in Their Cars 27% of the listeners from above...

You can get the complete study from Arbitron (Digital Platforms and the future of radio)

What wasn't said is the respondents weren't asked if they would pay to receive Internet-based streaming or file delivery to the car. Ask that question and you'll see far less interest.

 

[Bongwater]

What matters isn't really even the cost. $15 bucks isn't that much (my lunch today costed me almost $10) and for what you get out of it (almost any station you want from around the world, plus just about everything else on the mobile web.) Hell, you could even stream your own music from home.

It's terrifying to a lot of the die-hards out there and rightfully so. If you think you got it bad getting noticed with mobile ears amongst 40 stations locally, try suddenly dealing with 13,000 brand new competitors. Suddenly, HD Radio becomes as useful and relevant as an 8-Track deck.

You gotta remember one thing - free markets. Demand it and there will be somebody to fill it. If the people want internet radio everywhere they go, they WILL get it. And it's not EVEN a question of how much does it cost. Cell phones used to cost over $100 a month. Today, they are literally disposable for $20. The question is WHEN.

It took 15 years for cell phones and rate plans to come down to where they are now. It's because people kept up the demand. They wanted more and they got it. If the public didn't, cell phones, broadband internet, HDTV, etc. would still be rich man's toys.

I do believe it will get to a certain point when internet streaming signals through 4G WiMax begin to rival those of terrestrial radio broadcasters in terms of overall listenership. It is growing. And very fast. You'd be a fool to deny it.

 

[TVradioguru]

I'm not sure where you come up with $15 a month Bong. Getting broadband to the car is the same as owning another smartphone with a data package. My Android phone through Verizon with 900 minutes, text and data plan costs almost $130 a month, including all the taxes applied. My IPhone through AT&T is 85 a month and that price will be going up when my existing contract expries in March.

Satellite radio costs about $13 a month and we know how well that's caught on.

Bottom line? If given less choice and free, or thousands of choices at $100 a month, average consumers (which again are the majority), prefer free.

 

[bossbill]

Re: my earlier post. I wasn't pontificating that terrestrial radio would die. I said that we should be more concerned about internet in the car than satellite radio in the car. And I'm sticking with that. Satellite radio does not offer the interaction that internet does. Yes, cost is a factor, and cost will limit penetration, just as it has done with satellite radio. But I foresee over-construction and over-supply at some point, which will bring bandwidth cost down.

Free is good, and as long as terrestrial offers local information and doesn't cost anything, it will be the default for most users.