Why iPhone v3.0 is good for radio
Posted on Friday, June 19th, 2009 at 7:56pm. #
So, the Apple iPhone 3GS doesn’t include an FM radio. In spite of some of the rumours.
But iPhone v3.0 is actually very good news for radio: for two reasons.
It lets your listeners hear your station
Ah, yes, I know the old iPhone let you download an application to listen to the radio. I’ve got plenty of them: from LBC, to Absolute and NPR. But now, you can listen to many more stations – even smaller ones which can’t make their own app.
On your iPhone (running v3.0 software), try visiting http://resonancefm.com/listen and clicking the “listen” icon, as you’d do on any normal computer. And you’ll find it’ll work. Because iPhone v3.0 copes with streaming MP3.
And better than that: when the stream starts, try clicking your ‘home’ key and checking your email. Note that – unlike any app – the radio doesn’t stop. It keeps on playing in the background. Excellent. (Go back to Safari to stop it).
It lets you hear your audience
The Voice Memo app, at first, seems a little pointless. But, if you record a voice memo, you can email that voice memo – as a high quality AAC file. Which means you can file broadcast-quality audio from wherever you have internet coverage.
It’s the cheapest outside-broadcast unit you have. And, unlike Audioboo, it’s private to you. Until you broadcast it, of course.
And of course, it could be a way to hear your audience as well.
So, the iPhone v3.0 could be a very good thing for radio. If we’re clever about using new platforms to reach a new audience, and to get that new audience to make our product even better.
